In a major development, the father of a minor wrestler took a U-turn and claimed he deliberately filed a false police complaint of sexual harassment against the WFI chief because he wanted to get back at the office for a perceived injustice against the girl. The startling admission by the father substantially weakens the case against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who has faced relentless protests for the past six months by top Indian wrestlers.
The origin of the father’s supposed angst goes back to the 2022 Under-17 Asian Championship trials in Lucknow when the minor lost the final and missed out on selection to the Indian team. The father said he was enraged because his child’s “one-year hard work had gone down the drain” because of that referee’s decision in the final. I have no grudge against the Delhi wrestler. She is also like my daughter but the referee deliberately defeated my daughter,” he said.
He directed his anger towards Singh because the federation had deputed the referee and Mr. Singh is the head of the federation. Asked why such serious allegations were leveled against the WFI boss for the defeat of just one bout, the father of the wrestler explained his rationale. “You think that it’s just one bout and probably it does not matter. But it is hard work for one year. The kid who is making a comeback after undergoing spinal surgery and has worked hard, practicing for hours every day, knows the worth of that one bout.
The Rohtak man also insisted that he and his daughter were not influenced by the protesting wrestlers.
Asked again what made him change his mind and withdraw the charges, he said it was an assurance from the authorities. The government promised a fair inquiry into his daughter’s defeat in the Asian U17 championship trials last year, so it is also his duty that he rectifies his mistake.
Singh, the outgoing WFI chief, reacting to this sudden change of heart by the father of the minor, said he won’t hold grudges against anyone. “The girl was led into this mistake. She was manipulated by the wrestlers who are protesting against me. So, I don’t have any grudge either against her or her family,” Singh told the news agency.
The man is hoping that his daughter will get justice. “I have given proper video evidence and proof of that disputed bout. I will never get that one year back. During all this controversy, she lost about (U17 trials in Sonepat) on June 5 and went into depression. Can those times come back?” He also insisted that his daughter is a minor, rejecting speculations that she is overaged.
The Delhi Police, which has recorded statements of over 200 people in connection with the case, will file a chargesheet in the case by June 15, as per the assurance Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has given to the protesting wrestlers. The wrestlers have agreed to halt their protest by then.
(With inputs from PTI)
