New Delhi: Adding heft to the serious charges levelled by top Olympian wrestlers against the head of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a physio Paranjeet Mallik who was present at the national wrestling camp in Lucknow in 2014 confirmed the accusations saying that at three junior women wrestlers had told him that they faced “pressure” and were “asked to meet Brij Bhushan at night”.
The Indian Express has interviewed the physio who told the newspaper that he had told the women’s coach Kuldeep Malik about this and also shared details formally while appearing before the oversight committee set up by the Sports Ministry. He appeared before them in February, once in person and then on a video call.
The newspaper says it could get no response from Brij Bhushan Singh or Kuldeep Malik.
The Hindu reports that wrestlers have upped the ante on their charges with wrestler Sakshi Malik reaching out to PM Modi and Women and Child welfare minister Smriti Irani, questioning their silence on the matter, “Modi ji talks Beti Bachao and calls us home when we win medals, talks about Mann ki Baat. This time we want him to listen to our Mann ki Baat, maybe he isn’t aware of our complaints so far. Why is Smriti Irani ji silent so far?”
The wrestlers claimed they were denied training mats and accessing food at the venue as Delhi police prevented their bid to train properly said medalist wrestler, Bajrang Punia.
The findings of a six-member oversight panel that submitted its report on April 5 have not yet been made public by the sports ministry.
The Delhi Police in the Supreme Court yesterday, on April 26 said it “felt” that “some preliminary enquiry” may be needed before registering an FIR on the sexual harassment complaints against Wrestling Federation of India president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
India’s topmost law officer, solicitor General Tushar Mehta, in his urgent mentioning for the police on Wednesday, justified the non-registration of the FIR by highlighting the “need” for a “preliminary enquiry”. Though he also added that if the court felt an FIR was required to be registered immediately, the police would definitely do so. The intervention by the police came a day after Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud’s bench termed the allegations as “serious”. Seven women wrestlers had urgently moved the Supreme Court.
The court will now hear the case on April 28.
The IOA is expected to meet today to form an ad-hoc committee for WFI, but the newspaper says the wrestlers have decided to hold a candle-light vigil at night, “to try and show the light to those who are perhaps still in the dark”, Vinesh Phogat said.