Wrestlers' Protest: Delhi Police seeks dropping POCSO case against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

New Delhi, Jun 15: The Delhi Police on Thursday (June 15) filed a final report before a Delhi court and sought cancellation of the POCSO Act, the sexual harassment case filed by a minor wrestler, against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh.

In the police report filed in the Patiala House Court, it was claimed that no corroborative evidence was found in the allegations levelled by the minor wrestler, under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO), against the sitting BJP MP. The court has put up the matter for further consideration on July 4.

The police stated that the minor was overage at the time of the incident, she has three birth certificates and she is a major. The chargesheet concerning the six other major wrestlers will be filed later today by the police. Wrestlers' Protest: 'Bajrang Punia is offered money to end protest,' says Sakshi Malik

Delhi Police Spokesperson DCP Suman Nalwa told media persons, "In the FIR registered by the wrestlers, after completion of investigation we are filing a chargesheet for the offences under sections 354, 354A, 354D IPC against accused Brijbhushan Sharan Singh and for offences under sections 109/354/354A/506 IPC against accused Vinod Tomar before the concerned Hon'ble Court."

The Delhi Police spokesperson further added, "In the POCSO matter, after completion of the investigation, we have submitted a police report under section 173 Cr PC requesting for a cancellation of the case based upon statements of the complainant i.e., the father of the victim and the victim herself."

"In the POCSO matter, after completion of the investigation, we have submitted a police report under section 173 Cr PC requesting for a cancellation of the case based upon statements of the complainant i.e., the father of the victim and the victim herself," Delhi Police added further.

The cancellation report - which is 552-page-long - has been filed in the minor's case in Delhi's Patiala House Court. "Since the case is related to POCSO Act, the court has fixed July 4 as the next date of hearing," public prosecutor Atul Srivastava told PTI.

Wrestlers React on Delhi Police Chargesheet

The wrestlers are yet to release any official statement on Delhi Police's move. However, one wrestler told The Print that the chargesheet filed by the cops is weak and alleged WFI chief has shown his clout in getting the charges dropped. "If he had been behind bars, the minor's case would not have wavered," he said.

The protesting wrestlers will decide on their strategy further after discussing it with the legal team.

On April 28, Delhi Police registered two FIRs against Singh at the Connaught Place Police Station. A statement from the protesting wrestlers, who suspended the agitation till June 15, is awaited. Wrestlers' Protest: Minor wrestler record statement before Magistrate; Bajrang Punia & Co. wear black band

On June 7, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur met Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and assured the agitating wrestlers that the charge sheet in the case would be filed by June 15, following which they suspended their stir."

Since the minister has assured the wrestlers that the charge sheet in the case will be filed by June 15 (Thursday), we will abide by it," said a senior police official.

As part of the probe, the Delhi Police has also written to wrestling federations of five nations seeking details in connection with the alleged incidents of sexual harassment by Singh, but their reply is awaited. Once these are received, a supplementary charge sheet would be filed in the case, officials said.

The notices were sent seeking photos and video of the tournaments and the CCTV footage of the places where the wrestlers stayed during their matches, they said. The Special Investigation Team questioned more than 180 people and also went to Singh's residence in Gonda where it recorded statements of the outgoing WFI chief's relatives, colleagues, house staff and his associates.

The investigators also took a woman wrestler to the official residence of Singh in New Delhi to recreate the sequence of events that led to the alleged crime. The wrestlers have threatened to resume their protest if a charge sheet is not filed by the specified period.