Wrestlers’ protest: Minor complainant knowledge assertion sooner than Justice of the Peace

THE LONE minor among the many many seven female wrestlers, who filed police complaints alleging sexual harassment by Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, has recorded her assertion sooner than a Justice of the Peace beneath Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

“The minor appeared before a magistrate and gave her statement on Wednesday,” a senior officer from the Delhi Police headquarters confirmed.

The police officer moreover confirmed {{that a}} uncover had been despatched to the WFI, asking it to produce certain paperwork and particulars of tournaments by which the complainants had participated. Some of the alleged incidents of sexual harassment are learnt to have occurred at tournaments the place Brij Bhushan was moreover present.

Last week, the police recorded the statements of the complainants beneath Section 161 of the CrPC. However, these aren’t admissible in courtroom. “The statements of the other six complainants are yet to be recorded before the magistrate,” the senior police officer talked about.

The Delhi Police has moreover recorded the statements of 15 witnesses linked to the case and obtained the report of the oversight committee chaired by Olympian boxer Mary Kom, that was set as a lot as probe the sexual harassment complaints in opposition to Brij Bhushan.

“We have received a report from the oversight committee, where they have recorded the statements of the victims and others, but we have also recorded their (victims’) fresh statements for our case,” the officer talked about.

On Saturday, one in every of many protesting wrestlers, Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, made a plea to doc the statements of the alleged victims sooner than a Justice of the Peace.

“Our statements have not been recorded under (Section) 164 and we are waiting for this. The police have been given a deadline to ensure that the statements are recorded… My request is to record our statements as soon as possible, because only then can the case move forward,” she talked about.

On April 21, seven female wrestlers, along with the minor, had filed separate complaints of sexual harassment and authorized intimidation in opposition to the WFI president at Delhi’s Connaught Place police station. The wrestlers later approached the Supreme Court, stating that the police weren’t registering FIRs. Subsequently, the police registered two FIRs — one beneath the POCSO Act, and one different primarily based totally on the complaints of grownup women wrestlers.

Some of India’s excessive wrestlers, along with Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi and World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat, have been protesting at Jantar Mantar since April 23. They have talked about that they might end their protest when Brij Bhushan is arrested beneath associated sections.

On Wednesday, Sakshi talked about that they had been in a position to take a narco verify, and challenged Brij Bhushan to do the an identical. “I challenge WFI president to take a narco test. We are also willing to take the test. Let the truth come out in the open, who is the culprit and who is not,” she talked about all through a media interaction.

Alleging delay throughout the police investigation, the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar have decided to placed on black armbands to mark their protest.