NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday took note of "serious allegations" of sexual harrasment made by seven women wrestlers against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The top court issued notice to the Delhi police and decided to examine on Friday grapplers' plea for a direction to lodge FIR in the matter.
A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and P S Narasimha considered a submission by senior advocate Kapil Sibal that the matter was related to sexual harrasment charges by seven women wrestlers, including a minor.
At the outset, the court said normally, in such matters, an aggrieved person can avail the remedy under Section 156(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Sibal, along with senior advocate Narender Hooda, contended even police personnel can be prosecuted for not registering FIR on complaints of this nature.
On this, the court issued notice and scheduled the matter for hearing on Friday.
The court also directed the names of petitioners would be redacted in due to the nature of charges made in the writ petition by the wrestlers.
It also ordered the complaints, which formed part of the attachment of the petition should be kept in sealed cover.
On Sunday, Olympian wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and other top Indian grapplers, renewed their sit-in protest against the WFI chief in Jantar Mantar in Central Delhi. They alleged that no action has been taken on their complaints against the WFI chief for sexual harassment and criminal intimidation.
On January 23, the Union Sports Ministry set up a committee, headed by boxing legend M C Mary Kom to probe the allegations against Singh. It had reportedly submitted its report in the first week of April but its findings are yet to be made public.
