Police take woman wrestler to WFI office, Brij Bhushan was at home on same premises

Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accused of sexual harassment, was at his MP bungalow at 21, Ashoka Road in New Delhi when the Delhi Police Friday took a woman-wrestler complainant to the WFI office on the same address.Speaking to The Indian Express, the woman wrestler said she felt scared when she got to know that Singh was present at his residence at the same time as she was at the WFI office.
“When I asked the police, they said nobody was there. But when I came home, I learned that Brij Bhushan was there (at this home). Later, I saw that Brij Bhushan spoke to the media and said he was sleeping inside. I was very uncomfortable because he is an accused and there is an FIR against him. Just going to the spot and repeating what happened to the police was tough. After knowing he was there, I felt scared,” she said.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi drict) Pranav Tayal declined to comment.

A Delhi Police source said the wrestler, accompanied five police personnel, including two women, was taken to the WFI office at 1.30 pm.

“The accused’s house and the WFI office are located on the same premises but at opposite ends. Brij Bhushan was at his house but the wrestler and the WFI president did not meet each other. They were there for half an hour. She was taken inside the WFI office. She was asked to retell what happened when she faced harassment,” the source said.

Speaking to reporters at the gate of his Ashoka Road residence, Singh said, “Nobody came to meet me. I was sleeping inside my room.”

The women wrestler also said though she received a notice from the police on Thursday, they did not do enough to ensure the media didn’t know about her visit to the WFI office.

To clarify the purpose of taking the woman wrestler to 21, Ashoka Road, the DCP, New Delhi, in a Twitter post, said: “Wrong news is doing the rounds that the female wrestler was going to Brij Bhushan’s house… On behalf of the Delhi Police, the female wrestler was taken to the Wrestling Federation of India office.”
1/8Protesting wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia were detained Delhi Police on Sunday after they breached the security cordon while trying to move towards the new Parliament building, where a women’s Mahapanchayat was planned for the day. (Express Photo Amit Mehra)2/8In chaotic scenes witnessed at the Jantar Mantar, wrestlers and police officers shoved and pushed each other as Vinesh Phogat and her cousin ser Sangeeta Phogat tried to breach the barricades. (Express Photo Amit Mehra)3/8The police officials were also seen clearing the protest site, where the wrestlers had resumed their agitation against the Wresting Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on April 23. (Express Photo Nihal Koshie)4/8All protesters were detained and forcefully boarded in buses Police.
“They have been detained for violating law and order. We will take legal action after inquiry in due course of time,” said Dependra Pathak, Special CP, Law and Order. (Express Photo Amit Mehra)5/8The Delhi Police had beefed up the security at Jantar Mantar following protesting wrestlers’ call for a ‘Mahila Samman Mahapanchayat’. (Express Photo Amit Mehra)6/8It seems the police will not allow the wrestlers back to the protest site though no official statement has been made in this regard. (Express Photo Nihal Koshie)7/8The police officers began clearing the protest site removing the cots, mattresses, cooler fans and the tarpaulin ceiling along with other belongings of the wrestlers. (Express Photo Nihal Koshie)8/8The champion wrestlers had resumed their agitation against Wresting Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on April 23, demanding his arrest. (Express Photo Nihal Koshie)
This development comes two days after Sports Miner Anurag Thakur, following a meeting with Olympic medall Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, assured them that the police would file a chargesheet related to Singh’s alleged sexual harassment of wrestlers June 15.
The wrestlers put on hold their protest against the non-arrest of Singh after the meeting with the Sports Miner.
A second woman wrestler has also accused Singh of sexual harassment at the WFI office on two occasions in 2017.
The Delhi Police, on April 28, regered two FIRs related to six adult wrestlers and a minor that have at least two instances of demands for “sexual favours” in lieu of professional assance; close to 15 incidents of sexual harassment that include 10 episodes of inappropriate touching; several instances of intimidation including stalking.
A minor in two statements, one to the police and another before a magrate, alleged sexual harassment and stalking the WFI president but later withdrew her allegations.
According to the FIR, there were three incidents of alleged sexual harassment Singh at the WFI office involving two wrestlers.
Singh has been accused of forceful physical contact, touching the palm, knee, thighs, and shoulders. Also, on the pretext of checking the breath of one wrestler, he placed his hand on her breast and slid it down to her stomach. These incidents allegedly happened at his WFI office, according to the FIR.

It stated that in 2019, the brother of one woman wrestler, who had accompanied her to the WFI office, was asked to stay outside when she entered Singh’s office. After asking those present in the room to leave, Singh, the FIR stated, pulled her towards him and tried to make forceful physical contact.
“Immediately, the accused pulled me towards himself and tried making forceful physical contact with me. Being shell-shocked, I ran away from the office. This really made me feel uncomfortable. He asked me for my personal mobile number at that time,” the FIR stated. This woman wrestler had gone to the WFI office because she had queries about a national camp.
The second woman wrestler, according to the FIR, accused Singh of touching her inappropriately and groping her on two days when she was called to the WFI office in 2017. On the first day, Singh touched her on her palm, knee, thighs and shoulder without her consent. She was asked to report to the WFI office two days later and he then touched her breast, and put his hand on her stomach saying he wanted to check her breathing pattern.