Brij Bhushan was asked last week to step down as Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president while an investigation into him is completed, has now petitioned the Delhi High Court for an FIR (first information report) against top wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik. He has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court, seeking the first information report over “extortion and blackmailing by making allegations of sexual assault”.
This comes just days after a massive protest by top wrestlers at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, which drew massive support, was called off after assurances from the central government. The hearing is expected to take place this week.
In his petition, Bhushan claims that the first person on his list, Vinesh Phogat, began extorting and blackmailing him for resigning as president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) under the guise of protesting sexual harassment of wrestlers. He also said that “media has now transformed itself into Janata Adalat or ‘public court’ and started intervening in the proceedings of the court”.
The case was scheduled to be heard later this week, but the petitioner’s lawyer, Shrikant Prasad, has withdrawn the petition due to the pressure. “I spoke with the petitioner, and he is unwilling to pursue the suit owing to the enormous pressure,” the counsel added. Bhushan stated on Twitter on Monday afternoon that he had not submitted a plea in court. “I have not requested action against any individual or group,” he stated in Hindi.
“The vital gap between the convict and the accused is completely ignored by the media by preserving the cardinal principles of ‘innocence until proven guilty’ and ‘guilt beyond a reasonable doubt,” the plea read. Other wrestlers mentioned in the petition include Sangeeta Phogat, Suman Malik, Anshu Malik, and Bajrang Punia, as well as some media outlets.
The WFI’s annual meeting in Uttar Pradesh, where Bhushan was scheduled to speak, was canceled on Sunday. He has denied all of the allegations leveled against him. Meanwhile, the central government has halted all WFI activities.
“The Centre has heard from all parties involved in the allegations leveled against WFI. A tournament was halted immediately, the additional secretary was fired, and an oversight committee will launch an impartial investigation to clarify everything “Anurag Thakur, Union Sports Minister, told reporters on Sunday.
