Sexual Harassment Case: Delhi court grants regular bail to outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan

New Delhi, Jul 20: A Delhi Court on Thursday (July 20) granted regular bail to former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the Federation's assistant secretary Vinod Tomar Singh in connection with the sexual harassment case filed by several wrestlers.

The Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi had reserved the order for later in the day on the regular bail application of the outgoing WFI chief.

The judge reserved the order after hearing arguments from counsel appearing for the accused and the prosecution, as well as the complainants. "Will pass order at 4 pm," the judge said.

Earlier on July 18, a Delhi court granted two-day interim bail to BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh granted relief to Singh on a personal bond of Rs 25,000.

In the case, the court had also granted bail to Tomar. Singh and Tomar appeared before the court in pursuance of the summons issued and sought bail in the case. The Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet against the six-time MP on June 15 under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Tomar was charged with offences under IPC sections 109 (abetment of any offence, if the act abetted is committed in consequence, and where no express provision is made for its punishment), 354, 354A and 506 (criminal intimidation). Singh's counsel alleged media trail, to which the judge said he may move an application before the high court or trial court.

The court will pass an appropriate order on the application, the judge said. The counsel, however, did not move any application in this regard. Besides the present case, another FIR was registered against Singh pursuant to allegations made by a minor wrestler which was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

She was among the seven female grapplers who had accused Singh of sexual harassment. Both the FIRs mentioned several alleged instances of sexual harassment like inappropriate touching, groping, stalking and intimidation by Singh at different times and places over a decade.

With PTI Inputs