The Delhi Police informed a local court on Friday that it has constituted a Special Investigation Team to investigate the FIRs lodged against Wrestling Federation of India president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment.
Appearing for the Delhi Police before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harjeet Singh Jaspal of Rouse Avenue Courts, Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava said that a status report has been filed in the matter under a sealed cover.
However, the status report must not be shared with anyone considering that the case involved sexual offences, he noted.
The PP further apprised the court that the statement of one of the victims before the concerned Magistrate under Section 164 of CrPC will be recorded today. The next date of hearing in the matter is May 27.
On May 10, the same court had issued notice to Delhi Police, directing it to file a status report on action being taken against Singh, who was accused of sexually harassing women wrestlers.
Earlier on May 4, the Supreme Court had closed the petition filed by three Indian women wrestlers of international fame, after the Delhi Police apprised the court that it has registered an FIR against the WFI president over charges of sexual harassment.
The Bench of Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice J.B. Pardiwala closed the plea, observing that its purpose has been served after registration of an FIR against the accused.
However, it granted liberty to the petitioners to invoke the jurisdictional magistrate or the remedy under Section 482 CrPC before the Delhi High Court in case of any further grievances.
Senior Advocate Narender Hooda, representing the petitioners, requested the Supreme Court to monitor the investigation, stating that Delhi Police did not register an FIR till the intervention of the top court of the country.
He further said that once the plea was disposed of, the Delhi Police would drag its feet.
However, the request was turned down by the Apex Court on the grounds that it has given liberty to the petitioners to invoke other remedies.
The top court of the country further took in view the fact that Delhi Police had recorded the statement of the minor complainant on April 29 and of four others on May 3. The Delhi Police further submitted that they were taking steps to record the statements before the Magistrate under Section 164 CrPC.
The Apex Court had also taken in view the security arrangements made for the complainants by the police.
The petitioner wrestlers were represented by Advocates Dr S.S. Hooda, Anindya Malhotra, Shaurya Lamba, Nandita Hooda and Rashi Choudhary.