By India Blooms News Service May 31, 2023
New Delhi/IBNS: Amid an escalating campaign for his arrest over sexual harassment allegations, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is also a member of Parliament for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Wednesday issued a defiant statement refuting all charges once again.
If a single allegation against me is proven, I will hang myself. If you (wrestlers) have any evidence, present it to the Court, and I am ready to accept any punishment, he said.
Singhs declaration came on a day when the Delhi Police said the case against him was still being investigated.
Some media channels are broadcasting the news of the police filing the final report in the case filed by the women wrestlers. This news is totally wrong. This case is still under investigation and a proper report will be placed in the court only after complete investigation, the Delhi Police said in a tweet in Hindi from its official account that was soon deleted.
The tweet had appeared to clarify an unnamed Delhi Police officers statement to some media outlets, claiming they have not found sufficient evidence to prove the allegations made by female wrestlers against the wrestling body chief.
The police will submit a report to court within 15 days, they said.
During the investigation so far, the police have not found sufficient evidence to arrest the WFI chief. There is also no supportive evidence to prove their (wrestlers) claim. A report will be submitted to court within 15 days, which could be in the form of a charge sheet or final report, the officer was quoted in the media as saying.
The statement came amid the ongoing protests by Indian wrestlers against Singh. The athletes, including Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat, had launched the campaign in January this year demanding action against Singh. They allege that Singh has sexually harassed several female athletes.
On Tuesday, the wrestlers, who allege that their protest against the wrestling federation chief has been largely ignored, announced their decision to consign the medals to Ganga
Later they shelved their plans to immerse their medals in Ganga at Haridwar after intervention from farmer leader Naresh Tikait.
The wrestlers had given a five-day deadline for action against wrestling federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.