Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

Brij Bhushan Singh, addressing a press conference in New Delhi, clarified that he has retired from wrestling and has cut ties with the sport.

Appearing before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal of the Rouse Avenue Court, advocate Rajeev Mohan, appearing for Singh, argued that as per the law, the Oversight Committee had to recommend for the registration of the FIR within seven days, but since in the matter at hand, no such recommendation has been made, it is safe to assume that the Committee did not find a prima facie case against accused.

The police made the submission before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harjeet Singh Jaspal of Rouse Avenue Court, saying that there is sufficient evidence to frame charges against Singh.

Singh is facing allegations of sexual harassment involving women wrestlers.

During the hearing on Wednesday, Mohan argued that the allegations are barred by limitation as Section 354A of the IPC provides for maximum punishment for three years and since the allegations pertain to the period of 2017-18, barring one, the bar of limitation is applicable.

Last month in their meeting with sports minister Anurag Thakur, the protesting wrestlers – Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat – had demanded that no one from Brij Bhushan’s family should be allowed to contest the polls. They were also promised a say in deciding who occupies the key posts of president, general secretary and treasurer.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal of Rouse Avenue Court, in his nine-page order, released on Friday, said that allegations of sexual harassment against Singh were “serious” but no purpose will be served by taking him in custody at this stage.