The Delhi High Court today seeks a response from the Delhi government regarding an application submitted by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Singh is seeking an expedited hearing for his plea to dismiss the criminal proceedings related to the sexual harassment cases filed against him.
In the same application, Bhij Bhushan Sharan Singh has also requested a stay on the ongoing criminal trial until his petition to quash the proceedings is heard. Former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar, who is accused of intimidating a wrestler, has made a similar request for relief.
The bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri briefly addressed the matter today.
“What is the ground of the early hearing application? That one witness has been examined in trial?” the judge asked before eventually issuing notice in the matter.
Delhi government's Standing Counsel Sanjeev Bhandari accepted notice in the case, which is scheduled for a hearing next on December 16. Six wrestlers have accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment. Following their complaint, the Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against Singh in June 2023, citing offences under Sections 354 (outraging modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), and 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
In May 2024, a Delhi court framed charges against Singh, noting that there was sufficient evidence to proceed. The trial court also charged co-accused Vinod Tomar with criminal intimidation against a female wrestler.
Subsequently, Singh approached the Delhi High Court to quash the criminal proceedings. During a hearing in August, Justice Neena Bansal Krishna expressed a prima facie view that Singh's plea appeared to be an oblique request.
"There can’t be an omnibus order on everything. If you wanted to quash the order on charge you could have come. Once the trial has started, this is nothing but an oblique way," the High Court had remarked.
In his application for an early hearing, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh noted that his plea is currently scheduled for January 13, 2025. He highlighted that the trial against him is ongoing, with hearings being held weekly, and that the trial court is likely to complete witness examinations by January 2025.
In light of these circumstances, Singh urged the High Court to expedite the hearing of his plea to quash the trial proceedings, asserting that there is a strong case for dismissing the criminal charges entirely. He argued that continuing the trial would result in significant prejudice and mental anguish for him. Singh's request for an early hearing was filed through his advocate, Rajiv Mohan.
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