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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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
