Protesting Indian wrestlers said they would continue their battle in court rather than return to the streets or sit-in-protest.
Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia and two-time World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat have been protesting against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for many months. They accuse him of groping women athletes and demanding sexual favors.
Singh is serving his sixth term as a BJP parliamentarian from Uttar Pradesh and has been chief of the wrestling federation for over a decade.
“The wrestlers’ fight will continue in court and not on the road till we get justice,” three wrestlers wrote in a joint statement on social media on Sunday.
On June 15, Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against Singh and sought cancellation of sexual harassment of a minor charge.
The details of the First Information Reports (FIRs) against the politician show that he allegedly demanded sexual favors in exchange for professional help from at least two female wrestlers, as well as harassed over half a dozen players.
Singh has categorically rejected all the accusations made by the wrestlers.
Wrestlers have been staging protests against Singh in Delhi since April 23 and were evicted by Delhi Police on May 28 from the protesting site. The police later said if the wrestlers apply for permission to stage a sit-in protest again, they will be allowed “at any of suitable, notified places” other than the same place.
This was the second time that the grapplers staged a protest against Singh. Previously, they had held a three-day demonstration in January 2023.