NEW DELHI: Delhi Police urged a city court on Saturday to frame charges against former wrestling federation chief BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexually harassing women wrestlers.
Concluding arguments for Delhi Police, additional public prosecutor Atul Srivastava opposed Singh’s submission that since some of the alleged incidents took place overseas, they do not fall within the jurisdiction of courts in Delhi. He argued that the incidents of alleged harassment outside as well as in India were part of the same offence.
Next hearing in wrestlers’ case on January 20
The court of additional chief metropolitan magistrate Priyanka Rajpoot was hearing arguments afresh as the previous judge was transferred at the stage of framing charges. The next hearing is scheduled for January 20.
Srivastava submitted that the accused had justified as a fatherly gesture his acts of touching the breasts of wrestlers on the pretext of checking their breathing capacity.
Last year, Singh submitted in the court that it has no jurisdiction to try any offence allegedly committed outside India in view of the fact that sanction under Section 188 CrPC has not been obtained. Section 188 of CrPC provides for prosecution of offences committed outside the territory of India by an Indian citizen, with prior sanction of central government.
Delhi Police has filed a chargesheet against Singh under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC.
Concluding arguments for Delhi Police, additional public prosecutor Atul Srivastava opposed Singh’s submission that since some of the alleged incidents took place overseas, they do not fall within the jurisdiction of courts in Delhi. He argued that the incidents of alleged harassment outside as well as in India were part of the same offence.
Next hearing in wrestlers’ case on January 20
The court of additional chief metropolitan magistrate Priyanka Rajpoot was hearing arguments afresh as the previous judge was transferred at the stage of framing charges. The next hearing is scheduled for January 20.
Srivastava submitted that the accused had justified as a fatherly gesture his acts of touching the breasts of wrestlers on the pretext of checking their breathing capacity.
Last year, Singh submitted in the court that it has no jurisdiction to try any offence allegedly committed outside India in view of the fact that sanction under Section 188 CrPC has not been obtained. Section 188 of CrPC provides for prosecution of offences committed outside the territory of India by an Indian citizen, with prior sanction of central government.
Delhi Police has filed a chargesheet against Singh under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC.
