Delhi court frames sexual harassment charges against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh

A Delhi court on Friday framed charges of sexual harassment and outraging modesty of women against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for harassing five women wrestlers. .Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Priyanka Rajpoot of the Rouse Avenue Court passed the order."There is sufficient material on record to frame charges against Accused No 1 Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for the offences punishable under Sections 354 [outraging modesty of a woman] and 354A [sexual harassment] of the Indian Penal Code with respect to Victim No 1, Victim No 2, Victim No 3, Victim No 4 and Victim No 5," the Court said. Judge Rajpoot said that there is also sufficient material on record to frame charges against Singh for the offence punishable under Section 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of the IPC with respect two wrestlers. "As regard Victim No 6, Accused No 1 Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh stands discharged," the Court added. The Court also charged co-accused Vinod Tomar with the offence of criminal intimidation for the offence against Victim No 1. "He is discharged from the offence of abetment with regard to all the accused," the Court said. .Tomar is the former assistant secretary of the WFI. .Six wrestlers levelled sexual harassment allegations against Singh. Based on their complaints, the police had registered a first information report (FIR) against the MP.On June 15, 2023, the police filed a chargesheet against Singh for offences under Sections 354 (outraging modesty), 354A (sexually coloured remarks), 354D (stalking) and 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).The complainants had earlier moved the Supreme Court for the registration of an FIR against Singh.Subsequently, the Supreme Court was informed by the Delhi Police that an FIR was registered and that the investigation was on track.A minor wrestler had also levelled allegations against Singh. However, she later withdrew her complaint and the Delhi Police filed a cancellation report in that case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act)..Notably, on April 26, the court had rejected an application moved by Singh for further probe in the case. Singh had said that he was not in Delhi when the incident alleged by one of the wrestlers took place.