Supreme Court should've monitored probe into wrestlers' case, says former judge Justice Madan B Lokur

New Delhi, June 14

Disapproving of the manner in which the Supreme Court handled the woman wrestlers’ allegations against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B Lokur has said it should have monitored the probe to ensure that it didn’t get derailed.

Speaking at a panel discussion on “Wrestlers’ Struggle: Accountability of Institutions”, Justice Lokur said the top court should not have allowed the Delhi Police to get away with the delay in registering an FIR on the women wrestlers’ complaints.

“I think the Supreme Court should have asked them (Delhi Police) why did you not register an FIR much earlier? The Supreme Court accepted the fact that they (wrestlers) are under threat. It should have monitored the probe so that things did not go wrong,” Justice Lokur said.

Justice Lokur also slammed the Delhi Police for their handling of the sexual harassment complaints against Brij Bhushan and the treatment meted out to the protesting wrestlers. “This is a clear case of re-victimisation…. The wrestlers have said they are under pressure,” he said.