NEW DELHI: BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Wednesday appeared and submitted before a Delhi court that the allegations made by Delhi Police in the chargesheet are false and full of conspiracy.
Citing a recent case wherein a minor female wrestler took back her allegation, advocate Rajeev Mohan, the counsel for Singh, told the court of additional chief metropolitan magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal that the allegations of the six adult female wrestlers were also false. He said that the offences alleged to have been committed outside India and the ones committed outside the local jurisdiction of Delhi cannot be tried by the court and the allegations by wrestlers were barred by limitation.
The counsel further stated that the police report had not furnished any sufficient explanation for the delay and no generic explanation could be accepted to condone the delay.
The advocate claimed that as Section 354A IPC provides for maximum punishment for 3 years and since the allegations pertain to the period of 2017-18, barring one, the bar of limitation is applicable. 'It is argued that it is a settled law that if there is an inquiry by internal sexual harassment committee and in the findings the accused is exonerated, on the same allegations, arising out of same facts, there can be no fresh prosecution," the court stated.
Noting the absence of the prosecution lawyer, the court said that the matter was listed for arguments on charge from August 9, 10, 11 and his absence shall have the effect of delay in proceedings. "It is worth mentioning here that this court is a special court constituted for expeditious and speedy disposal of cases pertaining to MPs and MLAs. Let an intimation in this regard be sent to the director of prosecution, along with a request to file a suitable reply," it added.
On June 15, Delhi Police had filed a chargesheet against Singh and one more person on a complaint lodged by women wrestlers under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
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