Delhi Police likely to file charge sheet today in Brij Bhushan Singh case: Officials
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police is likely to file a charge sheet today in connection with the case of alleged sexual harassment filed against outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh on the complaints of women wrestlers, officials said.
On June 7, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur met Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and assured the agitating wrestlers that the charge sheet in the case would be filed by June 15, following which they suspended their stir.
"Since the minister has assured the wrestlers that the charge sheet in the case will be filed by June 15 (Thursday), we will abide by it," said a senior police official.
As part of the probe, the Delhi Police has also written to wrestling federations of five nations seeking details in connection with the alleged incidents of sexual harassment by Singh, but their reply is awaited. Once these are received, a supplementary charge sheet would be filed in the case, officials said.
The notices were sent seeking photos and video of the tournaments and the CCTV footage of the places where the wrestlers stayed during their matches, they said.
The Special Investigation Team has questioned more than 180 people and also went to BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh's residence in Gonda where it recorded statements of the outgoing WFI chief's relatives, colleagues, house staff and his associates.
The investigators also took a woman wrestler to the official residence of Singh in New Delhi to recreate the sequence of events that led to the alleged crime.
The wrestlers have threatened to resume their protest if a charge sheet is not filed by the specified period.
After his meeting on June 7, Thakur addressed a press conference and said the wrestlers had suggested that the charge sheet in the case be filed by June 15 and the WFI elections be held by June 30.
The wrestlers had also suggested that an Internal Complaints Committee of WFI headed by a woman be formed. All these proposals were agreed to unanimously by the Sports Minister.
Following the assurance, the grapplers suspended their agitation till June 15.
The protesting wrestlers have been demanding the arrest of Singh, who they have accused of sexually exploiting women wrestlers, including a minor.
In another key decision, the government also agreed not to allow Brij Bhushan Singh, who has completed three terms as president, and his associates to contest elections as per the wrestlers' demand.
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Ordinance issued to increase number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38
New Delhi (PTI): The government has promulgated an ordinance to increase the strength of the Supreme Court from the present 34 judges to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
The law ministry notified the ordinance on Saturday, which amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, to increase the sanctioned strength of the top court.
So far, the sanctioned strength of the top court was 34, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Now, the number of judges has been increased by four, taking the sanctioned strength to 38.
The top court will now have 37 judges, other than the CJI.
With the apex court having two vacancies at present, and the ordinance coming into force immediately, the Supreme Court Collegium will now have to recommend six names for appointment as judges in the top court.
A bill will be brought in the Monsoon Session of Parliament to convert the ordinance – an executive order – into a law passed by Parliament.
The Union Cabinet had cleared a draft bill on May 5 to increase the number of apex court judges.
The strength of the Supreme Court was last increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the CJI) in 2019.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, as originally enacted in 1956, put the maximum number of judges (excluding the CJI) at 10.
This number was increased to 13 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges), Amendment Act, 1960, and to 17 by another amendment to the law.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986, augmented the strength of judges from 17 to 25, excluding the CJI.
A fresh amendment in 2009 further increased the strength from 25 to 30.
Article 124(3) of the Constitution lists the qualifications required to become a Supreme Court judge.
An Indian citizen who has either served as a high court judge for at least five years, or as an advocate for 10 years, or is a distinguished jurist, can be appointed to the top court.
The strength of the Supreme Court is increased based on the recommendations of the CJI, who writes to the Union law minister. After consulting the finance ministry, the Department of Justice under the law ministry moves the Cabinet with a draft bill.
