New Delhi:
The allegations in opposition to former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case filed by six ladies wrestlers, had been “false and fabricated” and part of “deep conspiracy which appears to be politically motivated,” the Delhi court docket noticed on Monday because it acquitted the previous BJP MP.
The court docket noticed that the allegations in opposition to Singh gave the impression to be rehearsed, well-practised and planted.
Further Chief Judicial Justice of the Peace Ashwini Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Courts on Monday acquitted not solely Bhushan but in addition former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar.
These observations had been made within the order copy which is but to be made public by court docket.
NDTV has learnt that the court docket order famous that these allegations had been made collectively on the occasion of a feminine and a male wrestler together with coaches at Mahadev Academy, the wrestling coaching centre in Haryana’s Rohtak.
“What has been transpired from the document is that earlier than sitting on dharna, there have been no allegation of sexual harassment by PW5 and no identify of any feminine wrestler who had confronted alleged sexual harassment had been talked about. Then, the feminine wrestlers who had been chosen got here ahead and similar/related allegations had been integrated within the tailormade formal complaints drafted in a elaborate method with related extreme ornament and the identical had been filed on April 21, 2023 earlier than the police,” the court docket mentioned, referring to one of many prosecution witnesses or PW.
The court docket additionally relied on the statements of the 2 wrestlers who had initially complained of sexual harassment however later turned hostile. The court docket discovered their statements extra credible.
“To say this, I draw energy from the truth that out of the 5 survivors on whose allegation expenses had been framed in opposition to the accused, two haven’t supported the case of the prosecution, and so they acknowledged that they had been pressured/pressured to present their statements on the occasion of PW5 and PW10. Nothing has been proved by the prosecution which reveals that these two survivors didn’t assist the case of the prosecution as a consequence of any overt act attributable to the accused,” the court docket mentioned in its order.
In its order, the trial court docket within the nationwide capital mentioned there appeared to be similarities within the sample of allegations made in opposition to the accused. It mentioned the alleged incidents surfaced at a time when the survivors had been taking part in a match, that the incidents allegedly occurred in a spot the place giant crowds together with household and mates of the sportspersons had gathered.
The court docket mentioned that after going by all of the allegations, testimonies of the victims in addition to the witnesses who supported the prosecution story, the attending circumstances wherein the alleged offences had been dedicated, the conduct of the complainants put up incident, the fabric enhancements in addition to materials contradictions, it discovered the testimony of the complainants who didn’t assist the prosecution story “credible sufficient” and “greater than adequate to create affordable doubt in my thoughts to discredit the prosecution story.”
Flagging the delay in submitting the complaints, the court docket mentioned that the allegations in opposition to Bhushan look like imperfect to be true, appear rehearsed and well-practiced in addition to planted.
The court docket additional identified that these allegations had been strikingly related, made on the similar time at a typical place, which indicated meticulous planning in opposition to the accused. It mentioned the handle of PW10 (the male wrestler) was talked about within the criticism and statements given by hostile witnesses, which indicated they had been tutored to say sure statements within the presence of PW10.
In the course of the proceedings on Monday, senior lawyer Rebecca John, who appeared for 4 of the ladies, described the acquittal as “deeply, deeply disturbing”.
After the court docket reduction, Singh advised reporters he had been saying from the start that he would “hold” himself if the allegations had been true. “I mentioned on the very first day that if the allegations are true, I’ll hold myself. I’m very blissful that I’ve been acquitted. It’s excellent news for me and excellent news for my supporters. I can’t say something greater than that,” Singh mentioned exterior the courtroom.
The media was barred from the in-camera proceedings.
The allegations surfaced in April-Might 2023 when ladies wrestlers protested at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, accusing the previous WFI of sexually harassing ladies wrestlers.
High ladies wrestlers together with Bajrang Punia had been the face of the 36-day protest.
