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This is an archive article published on August 24, 2024

In Brij Bhushan case, wrestler deposes before court

The trial in the case began in July, over a year after a chargesheet was filed against Singh. Charges have been framed against the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354A (sexual harassment).

Brij Bhushan case, sexual harassment case, Delhi court, Brij Bhushan case chargesheet, Wrestling Federation of India, charges against WFI president, Indian express newsFormer WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh (File Photo)

One of the four women wrestlers who have accused former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment deposed before a Delhi court in a vulnerable witness deposition centre on Friday.

The trial in the case began in July, over a year after a chargesheet was filed against Singh. Charges have been framed against the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354A (sexual harassment).

Following a thirty-minute exchange between advocate Rajiv Mohan, representing Bhushan, assisted by advocates Rishabh Bhati and Rehan Khan, and the counsel of the wrestlers, Mohan said that he wished to cross-examine the wrestler — complainant number 4 — in person and not through video conference.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Priyanka Rajpoot of Rouse Avenue Court finally said that the victim will be heard in the vulnerable witness deposition room and the face of the accused won’t be visible to her. Currently, the chief examination (examination of the wrestler by the Public Prosecutor) is being done in the vulnerable witness deposition room.

Meanwhile, a day after the female wrestlers informed the court that their security had been withdrawn on the eve of their appearance for proceedings, Delhi Police submitted that a “miscommunication” at the root of the episode has now been rectified.

The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate had directed DCP, New Delhi to take interim measures to ensure the safety of the wrestlers who had to depose before the Court (complainant number 4). It had also directed the DCP to file a detailed report regarding the reasons for the withdrawal of security of the wrestlers.

In a post on X, the DCP, New Delhi, had yesterday said that the security hadn’t been withdrawn but rather the Haryana Police had been requested to take over the responsibility as the wrestlers stay in Haryana.

Nirbhay Thakur is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express who primarily covers district courts in Delhi and has reported on the trials of many high-profile cases since 2023. Professional Background Education: Nirbhay is an economics graduate from Delhi University. Beats: His reporting spans the trial courts, and he occasionally interviews ambassadors and has a keen interest in doing data stories. Specializations: He has a specific interest in data stories related to courts. Core Strength: Nirbhay is known for tracking long-running legal sagas and providing meticulous updates on high-profile criminal trials. Recent notable articles In 2025, he has written long form articles and two investigations. Along with breaking many court stories, he has also done various exclusive stories. 1) A long form on Surender Koli, accused in the Nithari serial killings of 2006. He was acquitted after spending 2 decades in jail. was a branded man. Deemed the “cannibal" who allegedly lured children to his employer’s house in Noida, murdered them, and “ate their flesh” – his actions cited were cited as evidence of human depravity at its worst. However, the SC acquitted him finding various lapses in the investigation. The Indian Express spoke to his lawyers and traced the 2 decades journey.  2) For decades, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been at the forefront of the Government’s national rankings, placed at No. 2 over the past two years alone. It has also been the crucible of campus activism, its protests often spilling into national debates, its student leaders going on to become the faces and voices of political parties of all hues and thoughts. The Indian Express looked at all court cases spanning over two decades and did an investigation. 3) Investigation on the 700 Delhi riots cases. The Indian Express found that in 17 of 93 acquittals (which amounted to 85% of the decided cases) in Delhi riots cases, courts red-flag ‘fabricated’ evidence and pulled up the police. Signature Style Nirbhay’s writing is characterized by its procedural depth. He excels at summarizing 400-page chargesheets and complex court orders into digestible news for the general public. X (Twitter): @Nirbhaya99 ... Read More

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