‘Allegations made with common agenda to remove me as WFI president’: Brij Bhushan Singh tells Delhi HC in plea seeking quashing of criminal proceedings

“Each complainant is having her own grievances… none of these six persons came forward prior to January 18, 2023, to lodge or make any grievance against this person (Singh),” submitted Mohan.

Adding that in one of the complaints that led to the FIR against Singh in 2023, the complainant was allegedly assaulted in Mongolia, it was also argued that “place (of offence) was Mongolia, not India..law is well settled as per (CRPC section) 188, courts in India doesn’t have jurisdiction to try the case”.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, however, inquired from Mohan as to whether the offence ended there in Mongolia. Responding to the query, Singh’s advocate added that while the same complainant had alleged a second instance of sexual assault at the WFI office in October 2017, the two incidents are not connected. “There must be some connectivity between the 2 instances…I was not in Delhi (at the time of the second instance), this is the record.”

The court of Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, however orally remarked, “There can’t be an omnibus order (on quashing and setting aside all proceedings) if you’re to challenge everything…all your averments have been considered at the time of framing of charges…if your case is these grounds were not agitated, maybe we can look into the case…ths is an oblique way….”

Justice Krishna added that if Mohan continues to argue the way he is, “it’ll take us 5 hours to look into this (each instance)”. The court asked Singh to file a note with each complaint, instances of offence, and grounds of challenge against each, and the matter was kept for consideration on September 26. Singh has been directed to file the note before the court in two weeks.

Senior advocate Rebecca John, meanwhile, countered Mohan, saying that the trial court has framed the charges with respect to the complaints made by five wrestlers and not six, as the latter would be barred by the limitation statute. John submitted that this only showed that the trial court had considered all aspects in detail while framing the charges.

The trial began in July, over a year after a chargesheet was filed against Singh in June 2023. The trial court had framed charges against him only in May this year, under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty of a woman) and 354A (sexual harassment), after Singh had pleaded not guilty.

The 1,500-page chargesheet against Singh for alleged sexual harassment, assault and stalking of six women wrestlers had included statements of at least 22 witnesses from across four states, including wrestlers, a referee, a coach and a physiotherapist, all of whom had corroborated the allegations.