Wrestlers harassment case: Delhi Police files status report, SIT formed, court asks to record statement of victims
May 12, 2023
New Delhi [India], May 12 : Delhi Police on Friday filed a status report on the application moved by woman wrestlers in an alleged offence of sexual offence levelled against WFI Chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The court was also informed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the matter.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjit Singh Jaspal heard the submissions of Additional public prosecutor (APP) Atul Shrivastava and Defence counsel.
The court said that it shall decide upon the application once the statement before the court is recorded.
Meanwhile, the status report may be kept in a sealed cover.
APP Atul Srivastava submitted that a detailed reply has been filed on the application. An SIT has also been formed in the matter. The statement of one of the victims is to be recorded before the court today.
The court asked the Delhi police to record the statement of all the victims before the court. The matter has been listed on May 27 for further hearing.
The Court asked the police to give a copy of the report to the Defence counsel.
The APP Shrivastava submitted that the report should not be shared as this is a matter of Sexual harassment and it may hamper the investigation and may also disclose the identity of the victims.
The report should not be shared with anyone due to the confidentiality and sensitivity of the matter.
The counsel for the victims argued that the public prosecutor is merely tryei6to hamper the victims' rights and trying to veil the investigation.
He also argued that the matter came to the notice of the police on April 21. The accused is disclosing the facts of the investigation in the media. How does he know what is happening in the investigation?
In the first part of the hearing The court had asked, " Do You want an in camera proceeding?" The defence counsel replied in the affirmative.
The counsel for the wrestlers submitted that the police is hiding what is happening in the investigation of our case.
On the last date of hearing the court had directed Delhi police to file a status report on the investigation in the matter.
Court had sought a status report from the Delhi police on the investigation in the FIRs lodged by the wrestlers against Singh.
The plea moved by the woman wrestlers has sought monitoring of the investigation by the court, and direction for of the statement of the victim before the court. It has also sought direction to produce a status report on the investigation of the matter.
The copies of 2 FIRs were also filed in the court in a sealed cover.
On the last date Advocate S S Hooda, the counsel for the applicants submitted that the two FIRs have been lodged by the Delhi police in the matter on April 28.
Nothing has been done by the police till date. Police is not ready to conduct any inquiry. Not even the statement of the victims have been recorded before the court by the police, the counsel submitted.
According to the Supreme Court mandate, the statement of a victim of sexual offences ought to be recorded before the court within 24 hours of lodging of FIR.
The applicant's counsel said that the statement was recorded by the police after 3 days of the FIR.
It was alleged by the victims that one IPS deputed in Sports Ministery made a call to the husband of one of the victims and asked him to settle the matter.
The counsel also alleged that another official of a State wrestling body also approached the coach and family of the victim to get the matter settled.
That person said that the girls have made a mistake, you don't do it. Meet Neta ji, he will settle the matter, " the counsel submitted.
The counsel for the applicant asked what are the reasons for the inaction of the police.
Advocate Hooda also submitted that there are 3 video clips of media channels in which the accused is disclosing the facts of the case.
The counsel for the applicant also submitted that the name of the victim may be redacted from the cause list as this is a matter of sexual harassment.
