Suspended Wrestling Body Chief Gets Death Threat Over Phone, Case Filed

Police have registered a case after an unidentified person allegedly issued a death threat to the president of the suspended Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Sanjay Singh, and his predecessor and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over the phone, an official said on Sunday.

A complaint was received from Sanjay Singh that on January 13, a person had called from an unidentified number and threatened to kill them, SHO of Bhelupur police station Vijay Kumar Shukla told PTI.

A case has been registered under sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) of the IPC, he said.

According to the police, Sanjay Singh has said in his complaint that on the night of January 12, someone had called twice on his mobile phone from an unfamiliar number but he did not pick up.

On January 13, calls started coming again from the same number. The third time he received the call following which the caller abused Kaiserganj BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and threatened to kill them.

Sanjay Singh said he disconnected the phone out of fear. But he and his entire family are frightened by the continuous calls coming from that number, according to the complaint.

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been at the centre of a row after several prominent women wrestlers accused him of sexual harassment and started an agitation in January 2023 seeking action against him.

In December last year, the Sports Ministry suspended the Wrestling Federation of India, three days after it elected new office bearers - including Sanjay Singh - for not following the provisions of its constitution.

Sanjay Singh's election had sparked fresh protests from the women wrestlers and their supporters due to his proximity to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The BJP MP has denied the allegations against him and later declared that he was "done" with the sport as he has many more responsibilities to look into, including Lok Sabha elections.

The Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a six-time MP, on June 15, 2023 under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354-A (sexual harassment), 354-D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. 

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