New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Wednesday, May 31, tweeted a rebuttal to a report by the news agency ANI that the police did not have enough evidence to arrest BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accused of sexual harassment, but later deleted it.
“Several media channels are running a story that the Delhi Police hasn’t found sufficient evidence in the cases registered against [Singh] … It is to clarify that this news is ‘wrong’,” the police’s tweet on Wednesday afternoon read.
Propaganda News Agency ANI gets fact checked by Delhi Police.
Now you know who their sources are. pic.twitter.com/jZsf31LJZX— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) May 31, 2023
ANI had reported that apart from not having enough evidence to arrest Singh, the investigating officer in his case would be unable to arrest him as the punishment for what he was charged with under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 was less than seven years.
“Neither [is he] influencing the witness nor [is he] destroying the evidence”, the news agency quoted anonymous Delhi Police sources as saying.
The sections of POCSO added in FIR has less than Seven years imprisonment, so Investigating Officer cannot proceed with arrest as demanded by the accused. Neither he is influencing the witness nor he is destroying the evidence: Top Sources in Delhi Police to ANI
— ANI (@ANI) May 31, 2023
According to the news agency PTI, apart from the tweet, the Delhi police’s public relations officer (PRO) had also shared a similar message in a WhatsApp group for reporters. But after the tweet was deleted, the WhatsApp message was also deleted, the report said.
In a subsequent message in Hindi, the PRO said: “The cases filed by women wrestlers are still under consideration. Status reports are being filed before the court regarding the investigation in the said cases. As the cases are under investigation, it would be against the procedure to say anything before the report is filed in the court.”
Singh has been accused by wrestlers – including Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, along with World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat – of sexually harassing several female athletes, including a minor.
Singh has denied the allegations and said on Wednesday that he would “hang himself” if a single charge against him was proved.
#WATCH | “If a single allegation against me is proven, I will hang myself. If you (wrestlers) have any evidence, present it to the Court and I am ready to accept any punishment,” says WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh pic.twitter.com/hfoB7FOhWc
— ANI (@ANI) May 31, 2023
The Delhi police filed an FIR against Singh on April 28 after the Supreme Court issued it a notice. This came after a petition was filed by seven wrestlers.
On May 28, wrestlers Malik, Punia, Phogat and others were detained by the Delhi police when they attempted to march to the new parliament building on the 35th day of their sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar Road. They were charged with rioting after they clashed with security forces.
The new parliament building was inaugurated that day and Singh attended the ceremony.