2010 Commonwealth Games gold winner Anita is one of the witnesses who has confirmed a wrestler’s claims of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India Chief Brij Bhushan Singh in her statement to the Delhi Police.
Anita, 38, said that the complainant had contacted her from an international competition to “share” the story of the time that Singh reportedly called her to his room and “forcibly” hugged her. Anita is one of the more than 125 expected witnesses that the police are interviewing across four states.
Also read, WTC Final: Can Team India’s ‘old’ middle order play the new-age game?
Brij Bhushan Singh apparently terrified the wrestlers:
Anita, the complainant’s roommate during national-level camps, told the media: “She (the wrestler) didn’t go home after the championship in which she won gold; instead, she came straight to the camp in Patiala.”Didi bahut aisi baat ho gayi, mein aake bataungi apko kuchh,” she had said to me over the phone as she called me from the city (abroad) where the tournament was held. Sister, an incident has happened and I will tell you about it when I get back. Bahut bura kaam hai yahaan to. There is a serious problem going on here.
The wrestler told Anita about her experience after she arrived in Patiala. “She claimed to have gone to her room following her competition, she told me. The President Saheb wishes to meet with you, according to the call from the physio. She was terrified since he had previously bothered her over the phone, promising to provide her medications and other things like that. Already, she felt uneasy. She claimed to have seated distantly in the room when she entered it. Arre Arre, Aisa Kyu Kar Rahi Ho, Tum Hamari Bitiya Ho, Hamare Paas Aao, he replied. {You remind me of my daughter). When she moved to sit next to him, he suddenly gave her a tight hug.
At Delhi’s Connaught Place police station, seven female wrestlers, including a minor, had filed separate allegations of criminal intimidation and sexual harassment against the WFI Brij Bhushan Singh president on April 21. Later, the wrestlers complained to the Supreme Court that the police were failing to file formal complaints. The police subsequently filed two FIRs.
At least twice the WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh demanded “sexual favours” in the two FIRs that Delhi Police filed; nearly 15 instances of sexual harassment, including 10 instances of inappropriate touching and molestation (including running hands over breasts and touching the navel); and several instances of intimidation, including stalking.
For more news, click here.
