Indian police charge wrestling chief with sexual harassment

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) – Indian police on Thursday filed charges against the chief of the country’s wrestling federation following complaints of sexual harassment from top female wrestlers.

Female wrestlers in India have been demonstrating since January for the arrest of the head of the Indian Wrestling Federation, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, for sexual misconduct allegations.

Last week, they temporarily suspended the protest after a senior minister assured them of a swift investigation into the case.

In January, some of the country's top wrestlers, including Olympic medalists, accused Singh, who is a lawmaker from India's governing Bharatiya Janata Party, of sexual harassment. He, however, has denied the allegations.

In April, the wrestlers said they registered a police complaint against Singh.

On Thursday, in the case brought by the female wrestlers, Delhi police charged the wrestling federation chief before the court for harassment and stalking.

In a statement, police said a charge sheet was filed after the investigation was completed.

Police had earlier invoked the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act as one of the female wrestlers who accused Singh included a minor.

Now, however, police said it submitted a report after the investigation was finalized, "requesting for a cancellation of the case based upon statements of the complainant i.e., the father of the victim and the victim herself."

The United World Wrestling has recently condemned the temporary detention of wrestlers during a protest march in New Delhi.

India’s top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, among others, were detained briefly on May 28 as they tried to march to the new parliament building during its inauguration.

Phogat, two-time world champion medalist, previously said 10 female wrestlers accused Singh of sexual abuse and they said they would not compete in international tournaments unless he was removed from his post.