Babita Phogat had opposed oversight committee's report, reveals Delhi Police charge sheet
According to the Delhi Police charge sheet, former wrestler and BJP leader Babita Phogat, who served on the oversight committee looking into the sexual harassment claims made against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan, had voiced opposition to the panel's final report.
She had also voiced her opposition to the manner the investigation was carried out, claiming that it violated her conscience, in her handwritten letter in Hindi, which is included in the 1,599-page charge sheet submitted by Delhi Police on June 15.
The Khel Ratna award winner M.C. Mary Kom presided over the Oversight Committee, which at first had four members: Yogeshwar Dutt, Trupti Murgunde, Radhica Sreeman, and retired Cdr. Rajesh Rajagopala. Later, Phogat was added to the committee as a member.
Phogat expressed worry in her letter regarding the absence of attempts to speak with unaffiliated witnesses who may have confirmed or denied the claims made by the victim wrestlers. She further emphasised that the committee was not given enough factual proof of financial mismanagement, and the hearings appeared to be little more than a formality.
โDue to my limited proficiency in English, I had requested a Hindi version of the report, but my request was not fulfilled," she stated. According to the Delhi Police charge sheet, 15 witnesses have corroborated the allegations made by two of the six grapplers against the former WFI chief.
A total of 108 witnesses were questioned throughout the probe, including other wrestlers and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) officials. 15 of these witnesses have previously offered full or partial support for the claims made by the victims.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party, was granted bail on Thursday by a Delhi court in relation to the sexual assault case involving female wrestlers. Vinod Tomar, a co-accused, has also been given permission to seek bail.