Wrestlers' sexual harassment case: WFI ex-chief Brij Bhushan granted bail

A Delhi court on Thursday granted regular bail to outgoing WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a case of sexual harassment of women wrestlers.

The court also allowed the bail application of suspended Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) assistant secretary Vinod Tomar.

“I am granting bail on a bond of Rs 25,000 each with certain conditions,” Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal said.

The metropolitan court directed the accused not to leave the country without its prior permission and not offer any inducement to witnesses in the case.

The Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet against the six-time MP on June 15 under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).  

The court had earlier in the day reserved its order on the bail applications of Singh and Tomar.

The judge reserved the order after hearing arguments by the counsel  for the accused, the prosecution as well as the complainants.

During the hearing, the public prosecutor, representing Delhi Police, asked the court to try the accused as per law and impose certain conditions if relief was granted.

When the court asked the prosecutor if he was opposing the bail application, he said, “I am neither opposing nor supporting.”

“Application should be dealt as per law and the order passed by the court,” he told the court.

The counsel, appearing for the complainants, opposed the application, saying the accused was very influential.

“Bail should not be granted. If at all it is granted, strict conditions must be imposed. Witnesses have been approached from time to time, no threat though,” he told the court.

The counsel for the accused told the court that he will abide by all conditions.

“No threat etc. will take place. Law is very clear. He should be granted bail. I am undertaking to abide by conditions,” the defence counsel told the court.