Delhi Police to SC: Case to be registered against WFI chief on wrestlers' complaint

New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) The Delhi Police on Friday informed the Supreme Court that it will register an FIR in connection with women wrestlers' allegation of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Delhi Police, submitted before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y Chandrachud, "We have decided to register FIR, we will register it today. Nothing else survives..."

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the women wrestlers, submitted that they are worried on two grounds -- number one, security and safety -- and second, there are several cases against Singh.

The Chief Justice told Mehta, "Mr. Solicitor, we'll record your statement that FIR is being registered. Second, we'll say that let security be provided to her (to the minor complainant). Instead of disposing of it, we'll take it after a week?"

On the aspect of the court taking up the case next week, Mehta said this is going in a different direction. The bench, also comprising Justice P.S. Narasimha, said that the court will not monitor the investigation and it would ask the police to tell it what is being done.

The bench noted that Mehta has informed it since the allegations implicate the commission for cognisable offence, the respondent has decided to register FIR.

The bench observed that Sibal has submitted an affidavit in a sealed cover as there is an apprehension to the safety of a minor girl who is an alleged victim.

The bench directed the Delhi police to assess the threat perception and provide security to the minor girl and this direction will not stand in the way of the police making independent threat perception for other complainants in connection with providing security to them. The top court scheduled the matter for further hearing next Friday.

The plea filed by wrestlers said they attempted several times to convince the Delhi Police to register an FIR, but they failed.

The plea said women athletes who make nation proud are facing sexual harassment, and instead of getting the support they deserve, they are being forced to run from pillar to post to get justice.

It said the accused person in this case is an influential person and is misusing the process of law to evade justice and further manipulating the legal system and obstructing justice.

The plea said, "It is crucial that the police take all complaints of sexual harassment seriously and register FIRs promptly and not create yet another obstacle by delaying the registration of FIR.

"Failure to do so not only undermine the credibility of the police department but also emboldens perpetrators of sexual harassment, making it more difficult for women to come forward and report such incidents."