by Peerzada Arshad Hamid
NEW DELHI, April 28 (Xinhua) — Indian police on Friday knowledgeable the Supreme Court {that a} case will likely be filed in opposition to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh over the complaints by girls wrestlers about alleged sexual harassment.
“We have decided to register the first information report (FIR), we will register it today,” Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta advised the Supreme Court.
This got here amid the continued protest from a number of award-winning wrestlers who’re tenting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and had threatened they’d not transfer till a case is registered in opposition to Singh.
On Wednesday, police advised the Supreme Court that some form of preliminary probe was wanted earlier than it might proceed with the registration of an FIR in opposition to Singh.
Seven girls wrestlers have made allegations of sexual harassment in opposition to Singh, a cost denied by him.
The wrestlers had approached the Supreme Court for an pressing listening to into their request searching for a case in opposition to Singh, who can be a lawmaker from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The wrestlers first sat on protest in opposition to Singh in January this yr. However, they referred to as off protests after the federal government promised to analyze their complaints.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) additionally introduced a seven-member panel to analyze the allegations in opposition to Singh.
Alleging inaction on their grievance, the wrestlers resumed their protest this week and sought solidarity from individuals, particularly politicians, of their struggle.
Many distinguished sportspersons have come out to help the wrestlers.
Neeraj Chopra, who received India’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in javelin at Tokyo 2020, stated, “It hurts me to see our athletes on the streets demanding justice. As a nation, we are responsible for safeguarding the integrity and dignity of every individual, athlete or not.”
“What’s happening should never happen. This is a sensitive issue, and must be dealt with in an impartial and transparent manner,” Chopra added.
India’s lady tennis star Sania Mirza additionally got here out in help of the protesting wrestlers.
“As an athlete but more as a woman this is too difficult to watch. They’ve brought laurels to our country and we have all celebrated them, with them. If you have done that then it’s time to now stand with them in this difficult time too,” she writes. “This is a highly sensitive matter and serious allegations. I hope whatever the truth is justice is served. Sooner rather than later.”
Meanwhile, the protesting wrestlers on Friday demanded the “immediate arrest” of Singh.
“We still don’t have trust in Delhi police. We’ve been here for six days. An FIR should not take so long so we won’t trust them so easily this time. We still demand that he (Brijbhushan Sharan Singh) be put behind bars,” Vinesh Phogat, the primary Indian feminine wrestler who received golds at each the Commonwealth and Asian Games, advised media.