Charges framed against Brij Bhushan: Vinesh Phogat – ‘Sends a strong message that women can take on powerful men’ | Sport-others News

Calling it a significant victory in the fight for justice women wrestlers, top grapplers welcomed the framing of sexual harassment charges against former Wrestling Federation of India president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.“It is a big victory for women and sends a strong message that women can take on powerful men and they don’t have to be afraid. Protesting against someone so powerful was not easy but we were determined that women wrestlers should get justice. The framing of charges is a significant development and the fight in court will continue,” Vinesh Phoghat told The Indian Express.
Phogat, a two-time world championship medall, and Olympic medall Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik were leading the protests demanding the arrest of Singh after six women wrestlers complained of sexual harassment.

बृजभूषण पर आरोप तय हो गये हैं. माननीय कोर्ट का धन्यवाद. महिला पहलवानों के संघर्ष की बहुत बड़ी जीत है. देश की बेटियों को इतने कठिन समय से गुजरना पड़ा है, पर यह फ़ैसला राहत देगा. जिन लोगों ने महिला पहलवानों को ट्रोल किया था उनको भी शर्म आनी चाहिए. 🇮🇳 सत्यमेव जयते 🫡 pic.twitter.com/3IBUKCfzog
— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) May 10, 2024
A Delhi Court on Friday ordered the framing of charges against Singh. The Court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magrate (ACMM) Priyanka Rajpoot stated that there was sufficient material to frame charges against Singh in the offences of outraging the modesty of a woman and sexual harassment (sections 354 and 354A of the IPC). For Vinod Tomar, the former WFI assant secretary who is the second accused in the case, the Court noted that there was sufficient material to frame charges against him for criminal intimidation concerning the allegations of one victim.
“There were so many questions raised critics when we started our protest demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan. But we were steadfast in our quest to get justice. At the same time, we were worried that Brij Buushan could use his powerful connections. But we had a lot of faith in our lawyer and today was a victory in court for us but the battle will continue. People in the wrestling fraternity knew what Brij Bhushan had done over the years but most of them had turned a blind eye,” Vinesh added.
Bajrang’s wife Sangeeta Phogat, a national medal, posted a press statement on X which read: “As complainants of the sexual harassment of women wrestlers Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, MP, the then president of the Wrestling Federation of India, the women wrestlers are today extremely happy that charges have been framed against him… and Federation secretary Vinod Tomar under section 506 IPC.
“This is a major milestone in our 18-month-long movement against the main perpetrator of sexual crimes against women wrestlers, which has been going on since January 2003 on the streets, committees, Jantar Mantar and now in court. We have full faith in the judiciary and hope for a fair hearing and justice. We are extremely grateful to our legal team led senior advocate Rebecca John… We also thank all those women who stood shoulder to shoulder with us.”
Bajrang also took to X with the message ‘Satyameva Jayate’.
“Charges have been framed against Brij Bhushan. Thanks to the honourable court. This is a big victory for the struggle of women wrestlers. The daughters of the country have had to go through such a difficult time, but this decision will give them relief. Those who trolled women wrestlers should also be ashamed.”
Brij Bhushan had been found liable for prosecution for sexual harassment, molestation and stalking of women wrestlers in a Delhi Police chargesheet. Six women wrestlers had filed a complaint of sexual harassment in April last year and India’s top wrestlers had protested for two months at Jantar Mantar demanding his arrest. The Delhi Court on Friday stated that for all allegations levelled against Bhushan victim number 6, he has been discharged. The sixth victim’s allegations dated back to 2012.
Last week, a Delhi court rejected Brij Bhushan’s plea of seeking further investigation into the allegations of sexual harassment.
On the political front, the BJP last week named Karan Bhushan Singh as its candidate from the Kaiserganj seat in Uttar Pradesh, replacing his father and sitting MP Singh. In February this year, Karan took over as president of the UP Wrestling Federation, which Brij Bhushan had been heading for the last 12 years.

Karan’s name was initially floated for the top job of the Wrestling Federation of India but after the government’s diktat that none of Brij Bhushan’s family members would be allowed to contest in those polls, Sanjay Singh – the six-time MP’s close aide – was elected to the post.
The result saw Sakshi Malik quit wrestling, while Vinesh Phogat returned her Khel Ratna and Arjuna award and Bajrang returned his Padma Shri.