Former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh reacts as wrestlers call off protest

Former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Monday said that the case of alleged sexual harassment against him is now in the court that will do its work.

“I do not want to comment on this as it is now under the court’s consideration. The matter is in the court, and the court will do its work,” Singh told ANI.

The remark came after the protesting wrestlers announced to withdraw their protest against him, stating that the government has fulfilled its promise of filing a chargesheet against Singh, a six-time BJP MP whom they have accused of sexual harassment.

Top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, in identical tweets, said that the fight will now be fought in court, not on the roads. Malik took to Twitter on Sunday to state that the “battle will now be fought in court and not on roads till justice is delivered.”

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“As per the talks held on June 7, the government has implemented our demands. The Delhi Police on June 15 had submitted before the court the chargesheet after conducting a probe into allegations of sexual harassment (against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh), on the basis of an FIR filed by six women wrestlers. Now, the fight will continue in court and not on roads till justice is delivered,” the tweet posted by the three top grapplers read.

They further said that they will wait for fresh WFI elections which are scheduled to take place on July 11 as promised by the government. “The process for fresh Wrestling Federation of India election has begun. The polls are scheduled to be held on July 11 as promised by the government. We will wait for the implementation of the promise,” the wrestlers said.

Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat were leading protests against Singh over alleged sexual harassment since the beginning of this year. Following their removal from their Jantar Mantar protest site on May 28, the grapplers had then suspended their protest until June 15 after being assured by Union sports minister Anurag Thakur that a chargesheet will be filed against the BJP MP Singh.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections have been postponed from July 6 to July 11, as per the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). Members of the executive committee of WFI will be decided in the polls. The occupants of the post of president, one post of senior vice-president, four posts of vice president, one each position of secretary general and treasurer, two posts of joint secretary, and five posts of an executive member will be decided, as per a letter from IOA.

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The last date for receiving names for the electoral college was June 25 by 5:00 PM. Two nominations from each State/Union Territory will be made.
All state/UT wrestling federations will nominate two persons each of their respective associations, who are part of the executive body to form the electoral college for the election to elect the WFI’s executive committee, added the letter.

Preparation and display of the electoral college, circulation to affiliates, and publishing of the same on websites of IOA/WFI will be done on June 28.

Submissions of nominations for election will be from June 29 to July 1 from 11 AM to 5 PM. The preparation and display of nominations received by returning officers will be done on July 3 by 1 PM.

“The scrutiny of nomination papers will be done on July 4 by 11 AM. The submission of the notice of withdrawal of candidates will be done between July 4 to July 7, till 5 PM. On July 8, a final list of candidates will be made by 11 AM,” the letter added.

Polling will be done on July 11 from 11 AM to 1:20 PM. The counting of votes will start from 1:30 PM and results will be declared on the same day.