A day after the father of a minor wrestler took a U-turn on Thursday and claimed he deliberately filed a false police complaint of sexual harassment against the WFI chief, international referee Jagbir Singh claimed that he has been a witness to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s inappropriate behaviour towards female grapplers on several occasions since 2013.
Notably, Brij Bhushan is currently under scrutiny after top Indian wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, demanded his arrest for alleged sexual harassment of women grapplers.
Meanwhile, while speaking exclusively to India TV, he allegedly recalled how Singh had touched the female wrestlers inappropriately during a photo session last year.
“On 25th March 2022, after a trial, there was a photo session and a girl felt uncomfortable while standing with the president and left the spot,” he said. “In 2022, I witnessed something. Whenever the president used to travel inside the country for national tournaments, two to three girls were always with him but we could never protest. We have seen that with our eyes,” he later told a news agency.
No comments on minor wrestler’s father U-turn
However, when asked about the minor’s father taking a U-turn, he refused to comment on the issue.
Earlier on Thursday, the father of a minor wrestler took a U-turn and claimed he deliberately filed a false police complaint of sexual harassment against the WFI chief because he wanted to get back at the office for a perceived injustice against the girl. The startling admission by the father substantially weakens the case against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who has faced relentless protests for the past six months by top Indian wrestlers over allegations of sexual harassment of women competitors. The complaint by the minor wrestler has also led to an investigation under POCSO Act.
“It’s better that truth comes out now instead of in the court,” the father told PTI when asked why he is changing his story now. He cannot be named to protect the identity of his minor daughter. He explained the origin of his and his daughter’s animosity against Singh, who has vehemently denied the sexual harassment allegations, including against the minor.