POCSO case against Brij Bhushan: Delhi court to pass order on January 11 on closure report

PTI

New Delhi, November 25

A Delhi court will pass its order on January 11 on whether to accept the Delhi Police's closure report in a sexual harassment complaint filed by a minor wrestler against outgoing WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Additional Sessions Judge Chhavi Kapoor, who was scheduled to pass the order on Friday, adjourned the matter, saying the order was not ready.

In an in-chamber proceedings held on August 1, the minor wrestler had told the court she was satisfied with Delhi Police's investigation in the case and was not opposed to the closure report it has submitted, public prosecutor Atul Srivastava had said.

The Delhi Police had on June 15 filed a report before the court seeking cancellation of the case involving the minor wrestler after her father made a startling claim midway through the probe that he made a false complaint of sexual harassment against Singh to get back at him for perceived injustice to the girl.

Police had recommended dropping of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case against the outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief but charged him with sexual harassment and stalking in a separate case lodged against him by six women wrestlers.

Police had recommended cancellation of the complaint involving the minor wrestler, saying “no corroborative evidence” was found.

The POCSO Act provides for a minimum imprisonment of three years, depending on under which sections the crime has been registered.

The closure report notwithstanding, the court has to take a call on whether to accept it or direct further investigation. Singh has consistently denied the allegations.

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