The father of the minor wrestler, who had initially levelled sexual harassment allegations against WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and later said that it was false allegations, has firmly dismissed the claims made by Sakshi Malik. A day earlier, Malik had released a video statement in which she claimed that the minor wrestler changed her statement against Singh because her family was under threat.
Speaking to India Today, the Minor wrestler’s father stressed that his family had not received any threats as claimed by protesting wrestler Sakshi Malik. He also urged Malik to clarify the basis of her statement.
His counter came in the wake of a video statement released by Sakshi Malik and her husband Satyawart Kadian. In the video, Malik alleged that the minor wrestler changed her statement against Singh on account of threats faced by her family.
As reported by India Today, the minor wrestler’s father said, “We have done what we needed to do. There is no truth to such claims of threats against our family.”
In her video statement, Sakshi Malik argued that the minor wrestler gave statements against Singh twice. She gave her first statement to the Police under Section 161 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and subsequently, she presented her statement before a magistrate under Section 164.
The Truth.#WrestlersProtest pic.twitter.com/eWHRpOSwD9
— Sakshee Malikkh (@SakshiMalik) June 17, 2023
Malik further claimed that the minor wrestler revised her statement because of fear of intimidation.
Malik’s remarks came shortly after the Delhi Police recommended the dismissal of the complaint under POCSO filed by the minor wrestler against Singh, citing a lack of corroborative evidence. The Delhi court will consider the cancellation report filed by Delhi Police on the 4th of July.
Earlier in the day, Bhabita Phogat had also refuted the claims made by the wrestler husband-wife duo that she helped in getting permission for protests at Jantar Mantar in January.
In a detailed statement on Twitter, Babita called Sakshi a puppet of Congress and urged her to answer the public about their real intentions.
एक कहावत है कि
— Babita Phogat (@BabitaPhogat) June 18, 2023
ज़िंदगी भर के लिये आपके माथे पर कलंक की निशानी पड़ जाए।
बात ऐसी ना कहो दोस्त की कह के फिर छिपानी पड़ जाएँ ।
मुझे कल बड़ा दुःख भी हुआ और हँसी भी आई जब मैं अपनी छोटी बहन और उनके पतिदेव का विडीओ देख रही थी , सबसे पहले तो मैं ये स्पष्ट कर दूँ की जो अनुमति का काग़ज़… https://t.co/UqDMAF0qap
Babita said, “Let me be clear that the permission letter shown by my younger sister has no proof of my signature or my consent anywhere, nor do I have anything to do with it far and wide.”
Adding that she has faith in PM and the judicial system, she asserted that she was never in favour of a sit-in protest from the beginning. She added that she always told the wrestlers that they should meet the PM or Home Minister as the solution would come from there.
It is notable that earlier this month, the father of a minor wrestler, who filed a complaint against WFI’s Brij Bhushan Singh, said that they had filed a false case against Singh due to anger against him. According to him, he was angry with Singh because his daughter was not selected to join a competition.
He and his minor daughter gave revised statements before a magistrate on 5 June, confirming that she was not sexually harassed by Singh as alleged earlier. However, they didn’t withdraw the complaint.
“We have no grudge against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. We recorded fresh statements on June 5 and we changed a few of our earlier statements. I am the father of a girl and I don’t want to get involved in this fight. I had not withdrawn the complaint but recorded fresh statements. In anger, we had levelled some false allegations. My daughter had faced some issues, but all those mentioned in the FIR were not true,” the father had said.
Following this, Delhi police filed a cancellation report in the POCSO case filed based on the complaint. However, a chargesheet was filed in other allegations of harassment levelled by other adult female wrestlers against Singh.
Protesting wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia, have demanded the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. They have accused him of sexual harassment against seven wrestlers, including a minor. On the 15th of June, the Delhi Police filed a chargesheet for the offenses under sections 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (making sexually coloured remarks), 354D (stalking) of IPC against Singh.
