India : Police in Delhi have charged India’s wrestling federation chief and influential MP from the ruling BJP party with sexual harassment and intimidation following months of street protests by the nation’s top wrestlers.
Delhi Police brought formal charges against Brij Bhushan Sharan before a city court on Thursday. The court said it would hear the case on July 4.
At least seven female wrestlers, including one underage wrestler, have accused him of sexual misconduct.
Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik, two-time world champion medallist Vinesh Phogat and Anshu Malik have accused Mr Sharan of sexually harassing, intimidating and stalking female wrestlers.
The influential politician from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party has denied all the allegations and has not been arrested.
He faces charges described by the Indian Penal Code as “outraging modesty of a woman” and “making sexually coloured remarks”, as well as stalking, Delhi Police spokeswoman Suman Nalwa told.
The female wrestlers along with Bajrang Punia, also an Olympic medallist, started a sit-in protest in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in January demanding Mr Sharan’s removal from the post, but called it off after assurances from the government.
But they resumed their protest in April after the findings of the oversight committee were not made public.
They also demanded a first information report – a formal document based on complaint – be filed against the politician but the police were accused of acting slowly on the allegations.
Police launched an investigation in late April after the athletes moved to the Supreme Court for legal intervention.
The protesting wrestlers were detained last month and the protest site in New Delhi cleared after they attempted to march towards the newly-built parliament building on the day Mr Modi inaugurated it.
Days later, they threatened to throw their medals into Ganges – the sacred river for Hindus – over the government’s inaction and their treatment.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had assured the wrestlers of pressing charges against Mr Sharan by June 15.
