In Brij Bhushan case, wrestler deposes before court

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Meanwhile, a day after the female wrestlers informed the court that their security had been withdrawn on the eve of their appearance for proceedings, Delhi Police submitted that a “miscommunication” at the root of the episode has now been rectified.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In a post on X, the DCP, New Delhi, had yesterday said that the security hadn’t been withdrawn but rather the Haryana Police had been requested to take over the responsibility as the wrestlers stay in Haryana.