Wrestlers Protest

“After completing the investigation by the Delhi Police, the charge sheet was presented in the court on June 15. The legal battle of the wrestlers will continue in the court instead of on the road until justice is served. “Regarding the reform in WFI, the election process, as promised, has begun. We will wait for fulfilment of promises made by the government regarding the July 11 elections,” the statement by the wrestlers on twitter read.

The Budapest event is the fourth and last ranking series of the year. According to reports, her name was cleared in a meeting between the ad hoc committee which runs the sport and officials from the government's TOP scheme on Tuesday. Vinesh, along with Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia and Rio Games bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, has led the wrestlers' protest against former WFI president.

Vinesh took to Twitter to post a picture of a famous poem written by Pushyamitra Upadhyay. "#WeWantJustice," she wrote along with the picture. The 28-year old Phogat has been one of the faces of the wrestlers' protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh against whom a chargesheet was filed on June 15 for stalking and sexual harassment of women wrestlers.

Besides filing the charge sheet before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mahima Rai of the Rouse Avenue Courts, the Delhi Police also approached the Patiala House Courts seeking cancellation of an FIR by a 'minor' wrestler accusing Brij Bhushan of sexual harassment. The 550-page report filed by the police said that no corroborative evidence was found to support the allegations levelled in the FIR.

The official clarified that the charge sheet filed initially is not the final report and any new information obtained by the investigators will be included in the supplementary charge sheet(s). However, the officer said that the filing of an additional charge sheet depends upon the report and ongoing probe.

Police has filed the charge sheet before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mahima Rai of Rouse Avenue Court for the offences under Sections 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (making sexually coloured remarks), 354D (stalking) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) against accused Brij Bhushan.

According to the source, police have collected several videos, including the CCTV footage of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) office. Earlier, the police had reached out to five foreign wrestling federations, seeking information, as several wrestlers have alleged harassment during tournaments abroad.

The announcement comes a day after the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) appointed retired high court judge Mahesh Mittal as the returning officer. Earlier, the IOA had suggested July 4 as the polling date. However, the RO on Tuesday announced the new date. "Whereas, the undersigned has been appointed as the Returning Officer by the Indian Olympic Association vide its letter No. IOA/I-28/2023/1350 dated 12th June 2023 for the purpose of conducting the election of the Executive Committee of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

In the letter, a copy of which is with IANS, the IOA has asked Justice (Retd) Mahesh Mittal to "confirm" his appointment as the returning officer to conduct the elections. WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing charges of sexual harassment by India's top wrestlers, completed three tenures (12 years) in office.

Talking to reporters in Sonipat, Malik said that no one understands what the wrestlers are going through mentally each passing day. The 30-year old reached Sonipat to attend the Mahapanchayat to decide on the future course of action for wrestlers, who have been demanding the resignation of outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment.