Big victory for struggle of women wrestlers: Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik react to Delhi court’s orders of framing of charges against Brij Bhushan
Big victory for struggle of women wrestlers: Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik react to Delhi court’s orders of framing of charges against Brij Bhushan
Wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik on Friday hailed a Delhi Court’s order for framing of charges against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in the case wherein allegations of sexual harassment were levelled against him by six women wrestlers.
“Charges have been framed against Brij Bhushan. Thanks to the honourable court. This is a big victory for the struggle of women wrestlers. The daughters of the country have had to go through such a difficult time, but this decision will give relief. Those who trolled the women wrestlers should also be ashamed. Satyameva Jayate,” Punia and Malik both posted from their X accounts.
The Court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Priyanka Rajpoot stated that there was sufficient material to frame charges against Bhushan in the offences of outraging the modesty of a woman and sexual harassment (sections 354 and 354A of the IPC) against five of the victims. The Court further stated that for all allegations levelled against Bhushan by victim number 6, he has been discharged. The sixth victim’s allegations dated back to 2012.
The Court also noted that it has found sufficient material against Bhushan for offences under section 506(1) (criminal intimidation) in the allegations of two victims – number 1 and 5.
Bhushan has not been charged for the offence of stalking (354D of the IPC).
For Vinod Tomar, former WFI assistant secretary who is the second accused in the case, the Court noted that there was sufficient material to frame charges against him for criminal intimidation in relation to the allegations of one victim. Tomar was however discharged for the allegations of abetment.
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