‘I saw Brij standing next to her, she was uncomfortable, freed herself..’ – International referee’s HUGE claim

The highly-talked-about sexual harassment case relating to Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan has a new development. An international referee since 2007, Jagbir Singh – one of the 125 listed potential witnesses in Bhushan’s inquiry case has made a massive claim. Jagbir admitted watching Brij Bhushan inappropriately touching an unnamed female wrestler, after which she looked uncomfortable and tried to free herself.

Following weeks of protest by several Olympic medal winners and national heroes like Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat, among others, over the arrest of WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh, Delhi Police filed two FIRs in late April. 

In the FIR filed by six female wrestlers, one claimed that in March last year, while everyone was getting ready to pose for a team photo at the end of the trials in Lucknow for the Asian Championships, he (Brij Bhushan here) “placed his hands on my buttocks” following which she tried to move aside.

Jagbir, who was also present there, and was standing a few feet away from Brij Bhushan and the complainant, verified this instance in his testimony to Delhi Police when inquired.

In a chat with the Indian Express, Jagbir opened up about this instance, saying,

“I saw him (Brij Bhushan) standing next to her. She freed herself, pushed away, mumbled and moved away. She was standing next to the president but then came to the front. I saw how this woman wrestler was reacting, and she was uncomfortable. Something wrong happened to her. I didn’t see him doing the act, but he used to keep touching wrestlers, saying come here, come and stand here). From her (complainant’s) behaviour, it was clear something was wrong that day (during the photo session),” Jagbir said, as quoted in the Indian Express.

‘…his hand was on my buttocks’

In the two FIRs filed by the Delhi Police based on complaints by women wrestlers, including a minor – whose father has now taken back the complaint, it stated there were two instances of Brij Bhushan demanding ‘sexual favours’, while 15 cases of sexual harassment including ten episodes of him inappropriately touching, running hands over breasts, touching the navel; and several instances of intimidation, stalking were registered.

In one of the FIRs, the complainant said, “Since I was one of the tallest wrestlers, I was supposed to stand in the last row. While I was standing in the last row and waiting for the other wrestlers to take their positions, the accused came and stood alongside me. To my shock and surprise, I suddenly felt a hand on my buttock. I immediately looked back, and to my horror, the accused had placed his hands on my buttocks… I immediately tried to move away from that spot in order to protect myself from further inappropriate touching by the accused. However, when I tried moving away, I was forcibly held by my shoulder by the accused. Somehow, I managed to get free from the clutches of the accused. Since I could not have avoided getting the team photograph clicked, I decided to go and sit in the first row away from the accused.”

Meanwhile, after visiting Anurag Thakur – the Union Sports Minister, at his residence on Wednesday, the wrestlers agreed to pause the protest against the WFI chief until June 15th – the date on which the chargesheet will be filed against Brij Bhushan Singh.