New Delhi | The sexual harassment case against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is under consideration and the status report of the investigation will be submitted to court, the Delhi Police said on Wednesday.
Earlier, police sources said the force had not found sufficient evidence in favour of the allegations levelled against Singh by female wrestlers and that it will submit the report within 15 days.
As the news came out in the media, the Delhi Police took to Twitter to say: "It is clarified that this news is wrong and the investigation into this sensitive case is under progress with all sensitivity." A public relation officer of the Delhi Police also shared the same message with reporters. After nearly an hour, the Delhi Police deleted its tweet. The PRO also removed the message she had shared in the official WhatsApp group for reporters.
Later, the PRO put another message in the group in Hindi that read: "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," the message read.
The wrestlers, who were protesting at Jantar Mantar here since April 23 demanding the arrest of Singh, were removed from the site by the police on Sunday after they tried to march towards the new Parliament building following its inauguration.
Addressing a programme in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki on Wednesday, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said that he will hang himself even if a single allegation is proved against him.
The BJP MP also said all wrestlers are like his children and he will not blame them as his blood and sweat have also gone into their success.
"I am once again saying that if even if a single allegation is proved against me, I will hang myself," Singh said while addressing a programme at the Mahadeva auditorium in the Ramnagar area here.
"It has been four months since they (wrestlers) want me to be hanged, but the government is not hanging me. So they were going to immerse their medals in the Ganga. Brij Bhushan will not be hanged by throwing medals in the Ganga. If you have proof, give it to the court and if the court hangs me, I will accept it," the member of Parliament from Kaiserganj said.
On Tuesday, the protesting wrestlers announced that they would immerse their medals in the Ganga river in Haridwar as a mark of protest to demand action against Singh. But they did not carry out the threat after farmer leaders sought five days' time from them to resolve the issue.
Farmers' outfit Samyukta Kisan Morcha on Tuesday called for nationwide demonstrations on June 1 in support of the wrestlers.
New Delhi | The "shell-shocked" protesting wrestlers, except Sakshi Malik, have returned to their homes in Haryana, and did not speak with the waiting media in Haridwar due to a silence vow, a member of the protest group said on Wednesday.
The grapplers had resumed their agitation against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on April 23 at Jantar Mantar and stayed there till May 28, the day they were detained by the Delhi Police during their march towards the new Parliament building.
Immediately after their detention, the police cleared the protest site and made it clear that wrestlers will not be allowed back to the Jantar Mantar.
The police action against the wrestlers drew criticism from different quarters.
On Tuesday, they threatened to immerse their medals into the holy river Ganga but the farmer leaders stopped them from taking the extreme step.
"They were crying since morning. It is not easy to throw away even a medal won at district level and they were ready to throw away those big international medals. They were shell-shocked, not a word was coming out of their mouths," said a member of the protesting group.
"They had taken a silence vow for Tuesday and that's why they did not speak with anyone in Haridwar. All have returned to their respective homes but Sakshi is still in Delhi," he added.
While the wrestlers did not address the media, they were seen having discussions among themselves, whispering in each other's ears.
The mood was sombre when the wrestlers arrived at the famous Har ki Pauri with their medals as they wept and were being consoled by their family members.
They did not carry out their threat and returned with their medals after farmer leaders sought five days to sort out their issues.
The wrestlers have been demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan, who they have accused of sexual exploitation.
Two FIRs were filed against him, including one in POCSO act, but it is now being claimed that the 'minor' who has filed a complaint against the WFI chief is actually not a minor.
The oversight panel, which was formed by the government to probe the allegations, did not make its findings public but sources had claimed that the six-member committee did not find any incriminating evidence against Brij Bhushan.
The WFI chief has denied all the charges and said that even if one allegation is proved, he will "hang himself".
Brij Bhushan has alleged political conspiracy behind the protest.
