Court Records Testimony of Woman Wrestler in Case Against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh
The Rouse Avenue court in New Delhi recorded the statement of a woman wrestler on Friday. She is one of the complainants in the sexual harassment case against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former Chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Her testimony was taken in a vulnerable witness room, and the recording was overseen by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Priyanka Rajpoot.
The statement was recorded through Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Atul Srivastava, and further recording has been deferred to September 10. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was present during the hearing. The court ruled that the media would not be allowed during the recording of the victim’s statement.
Defence counsel Rajiv Mohan objected to cross-examining the victim through video conferencing, arguing that this provision is only for minors, not adult victims. However, the complainants’ counsel argued that the victim is covered under the provision of a vulnerable witness.
Earlier, DCP New Delhi appeared before the court and clarified that there was a miscommunication regarding the withdrawal of security, which has since been rectified. The DCP joined the proceedings via video conferencing and confirmed that security would not be withdrawn until the deposition of witnesses is completed.
In January 2023, some women wrestlers protested against Brij Bhushan, accusing him of sexual exploitation and intimidation. Delhi police filed a chargesheet against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar on June 15, 2023, based on complaints lodged by female wrestlers.
Doubts Revealed
Court Records -: This means that the court is officially writing down what people say during a trial or hearing.
Testimony -: Testimony is when someone tells the court what they saw or experienced, like a story about what happened.
Woman Wrestler -: A woman wrestler is a female athlete who competes in wrestling, a sport where two people try to pin each other to the ground.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh -: He is a person who used to be the head of the Wrestling Federation of India, which is the group that manages wrestling in India.
Rouse Avenue court -: This is a specific court in New Delhi, the capital city of India, where legal cases are heard.
Sexual harassment -: This is when someone behaves in a way that makes another person feel uncomfortable or unsafe, often in a sexual way.
Wrestling Federation of India -: This is the organization that oversees the sport of wrestling in India.
Vulnerable witness room -: This is a special room in the court where people who might feel scared or nervous can give their testimony more comfortably.
Deferred -: This means that something is delayed or postponed to a later time.
Chargesheet -: This is a document prepared by the police that lists the charges or accusations against someone.
Delhi police -: This is the police force that works in Delhi, the capital city of India.
