Olympic medal-winning wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, who is also a member of the committee that investigated allegations of sexual harassment against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, has said that wrestlers should have reported the sexual harassment to the police much earlier in order to have had action taken against the president.
"Police will take action only when you report it to them," Dutt told news agency ANI. "They won’t do it if one sits at home. Wrestlers should have done it 3 months back. I had said earlier too that if they want action, they should report it to the Police."
Dutt also defended the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief PT Usha's controversial statement regarding the protests against the WFI. "The Sports Ministry had formed a committee which has still been investigating the allegations and maybe PT Usha said this because it was still under investigation," he said.
However, Dutt also acknowledged the right of wrestlers to protest. "Wrestlers had a complaint and they chose to protest at Jantar Mantar, so they also can’t be blamed for that," he said.
Meanwhile, the ordeal for the protesting wrestlers does not seem to be ending as was revealed by Olympic medal-winning grappler Bajrang Punia on an Instagram live video.
"As you can see, the light has been cut off completely. The wrestlers are eating in the darkness. The fans and all are not working. They have begun pressurising us already. They are saying that the FIR has been filed so you please leave. As you can see Dharna is a very peaceful affair," Bajrang said in the live video.
This comes after the Delhi Police filed FIRs on four different counts, as reported by Sports Tak.
These counts are as follows:
1. In the matter of complaints received from female wrestlers, two FIRs have been registered in PS Connaught Place, New Delhi District.
2. The first one pertains to allegations levelled by a minor victim which is registered under the POCSO Act along with relevant IPC sections concerning outraging of modesty etc.
3. The second FIR is registered for carrying out comprehensive investigations into the complaints tendered by other, adult complainants under relevant sections pertaining to outraging of modesty etc.
4. Investigation into both FIRs is being taken up in right earnest.
Earlier on Friday, Delhi Police informed the Supreme Court that they had finally decided to file the FIR that the protesting wrestlers had been trying to file since last Friday. It was this very fact that started the latest string of protests against Brij Bhushan, with leading grapplers like Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik setting up shop at the Jantar Mantar.
The wrestlers alleged that the Police refused to file the FIRs of seven complainants, including that of a minor, which fell under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012) act. Furthermore, Bajrang also claimed that the minor was threatened by goons of Brij Bhushan.
Eventually, the Supreme Court intervened and ordered the Police to provide a relevant reason for not filing the FIR.
The court has posted the case for further hearing next week to consider the threat perception to one of the survivors — a minor.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK
Police register FIRs against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh under POCSO act; likely to be arrested
