Wrestling

However, Bajrang came back a little early as his date of returning was August 5-6. A source told IANS that both the wrestlers are well aware of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections, scheduled for August 12, and want to keep a close watch as Anita Sheoran, a wrestler from Haryana, filed her candidature for the vacant president's post.

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.

The court has also granted bail plea to co-accused Vinod Tomar. The accused persons have been directed by the court to not leave the country without its prior intimation and said that they will not, directly or indirectly, indulge in threat or inducement to the complainants or witnesses.

On Tuesday, the WFI ad-hoc panel granted Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Punia (65kg) and two-time world championships medallist Vinesh (53kg) exemption from appearing in the selection trials for the Asian Games.

The victim, referred as "grappler (1)" in the charge sheet, alleges that Singh harassed her on seven separate occasions. This includes instances of physical sexual assault on five occasions and sexual advances on one occasion. The chargesheet deems these allegations as a continuous pattern of harassment over a period of 6-7 years, supported by the victim's statement under Section 164 of the CrPC.

Sangeeta, who is the wife of Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia and sister of Commonwealth Games gold medalist Geeta Phogat, had reached the semifinals via the repechage rounds after starting her campaign with a crushing defeat by fall to Jennifer Page Rogers of the United States. 

The court took note of the charge sheet filed in the case, responding to the claims made by six women wrestlers who have accused Singh of engaging in sexual harassment and intimidation.The summons were issued by the Rouse Avenue court.

Ajit Singh said that "what will the grapplers achieve from this small training stint? Or are they going for any 'chamatkari kheer' which will turn them into Hulk instantly!" Tokyo 2020 Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia will train in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan. Meanwhile, world championships medallist Vinesh Phogat will first travel to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, before shifting base to Hungary.

The Delhi Police’s charge sheet running over 1,000 pages was filed before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mahima Rai of the Rouse Avenue Courts for offences under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (making sexually coloured remarks), and 354D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against accused Singh.