"Have Full Faith In Judiciary": Wrestling Body Chief On #MeToo Charges

Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh today that he has full faith in the judiciary amid the sexual harrasment allegations against him levelled by several wrestlers.

Delhi Police on Friday apprised the Supreme Court that it agreed to register an FIR based on the allegations levelled by wrestlers against the WFI chief.

"I have full faith in the judiciary. I am not running anywhere. I am in my house. By now a case must have been filed against me. I will cooperate with Delhi Police. Whatever the decision of the Supreme Court, I will follow it. Ask the players who are protesting about the allegations against me," Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh told ANI.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Delhi Police, apprised the SC bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud that Delhi Police will register the FIR by this evening.

Appearing for the wrestlers, senior advocate Kapil Sibal urged the court to also issue directions to provide safety to a minor girl, one of the petitioner wrestlers, due to the threat to her. Sibal said he is worried about the safety of the minor girl and other wrestlers.

SG Tushar Mehta said that all these concerns can be addressed by the police.

Top wrestlers have resumed their sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar here in the national capital after filing a complaint at the Connaught Place police station on Friday stating that seven female wrestlers, including one minor, were harassed and exploited by Brij Bhushan in his capacity as WFI chief.

Earlier in the day protesting wrestlers held a press conference at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital.

Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist wrestler Bajrang Punia and star wrestlers like Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik on Friday said that they will continue their protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh until he is sent behind bars.

Indian wrestlers are protesting at Jantar Mantar in the national capital against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment. Top Indian grapplers such as Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and many other wrestlers are involved in the protest against the WFI chief.

On the 6th day of the protest, wrestlers addressed the media after the Delhi Police agreed to register an FIR against the WFI President.

"I'd like to thank all the athletes who have come out in our support. Abhinav Bindra and Neeraj Chopra have supported us because they understand the value of athletes. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh should be imprisoned soon. He'd continue to misuse his position and he needs to be put behind bars. We'll protest till the time he goes to jail. We also have to see the sections that the Delhi police have imposed on him. People who felt that our protest will be over after the FIR were wrong and we are in our right to decide on it. All of us protesting need security and the complainants need security because you never know who wants to harm us," Bajrang Punia said at the press conference.

Star grappler Phogat appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack the WFI chief from all positions.

"We don't trust Delhi police, they took 6 days to register an FIR. We'll see what they do. We are adamant about our stand to imprison the WFI President. I appeal to the Prime Minister of India to remove the WFI president from all his responsibilities. This is related to all the sports and I'd urge them to come out in our support and I want to stay in touch with all of them. This is when you safeguard the future of sports and athletes in the country. All the renowned sports people should come out and support us and save Indian sports. If they don't come out today, they'll never be able to safeguard India's sporting culture," Vinesh Phogat said at the press conference.

"We have already given enough evidence and if anything else is required, we'll present it to Supreme Court not to the Delhi police. This is not a fight to register an FIR. This is a fight against one person who already has 85 cases against him. We need to free wrestling of corrupt people. We'll respect the decision made by Supreme Court and will act according to their orders," she added.

"I'd like to thank all the women who've come out in our support. We don't trust the Delhi police at all, they registered the FIR after Supreme Court's orders. We just demand a fair investigation. We just want Brij Bhushan to be removed from all the positions and he should be punished accordingly and only then we'll end our protest," Sakshi Malik said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)