Wrestlers' Protest: WFI Chief Brij Bhushan Singh Gets Regular Bail In Sexual Harassment Case

Delhi court had earlier granted two-day interim bail to outgoing WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh in connection with the case of alleged sexual harassment of women wrestlers.

New Delhi: Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday granted regular bail to outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the Federation's Assistant Secretary Vinod Tomar Singh in connection with the case of alleged sexual harassment of women wrestlers. The court granted bail to both on a personal bail bond of Rs 25,000 each, news agency ANI reported. "The Court imposed several conditions while granting bail to them and said the accused shall directly or indirectly not induce the complainants or witnesses and shall not leave the country without the permission of the Court," the report further said.

The court had earlier reserved its order on the regular bail application of outgoing WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a case of sexual harassment of women wrestlers. The judge reserved the order after hearing arguments from the counsel appearing for the accused, the prosecution as well as the complainants. ''Will pass the order at 4 pm,'' the judge said.

During the hearing, the public prosecutor, representing Delhi Police, asked the court to try the accused as per law and impose certain conditions if relief was granted. When the court asked the prosecutor if he was opposing the bail application, he said, ''I am neither opposing nor supporting.'' ''Application should be dealt as per law and the order passed by the court,'' he told the court.

The counsel, appearing for the complainants, opposed the application, saying the accused was very influential. ''Bail should not be granted. If at all it is granted, strict conditions must be imposed. Witnesses have been approached from time to time, no threat though,'' he told the court.

The counsel for the accused told the court that he will abide by all conditions. 'No threat etc. Will take place. The law is very clear. He should be granted bail. I am undertaking to abide by conditions,'' the defence counsel told the court.

It may be noted that the women wrestlers had earlier questioned the intent of the government-formed oversight panel, which has been investigating the sexual harassment allegations and alleged that it was biased towards Singh, who is a BJP MP. 

The Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet against the six-time MP on June 15 under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).