Minor wrestler's father rejects threat claims made by Sakshee Malikkh
What's the story
The father of the "minor" wrestler—one of the complainants in a sexual harassment case against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh—on Sunday reportedly claimed the family was not under any threat or pressure to alter her statement. This came in response to star wrestler Sakshee Malikkh's claims that the "minor" altered her statement against Singh following threats to her family.
Context
Why does this story matter?
One of two FIRs lodged against Singh charged him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which could now be dropped after the said wrestler reportedly said she wasn't underage when Singh allegedly harassed her. The other FIR included around 10 instances of Singh allegedly molesting and touching adult wrestlers inappropriately at various national and international events between 2012 and 2022.
Statement
What exactly did minor wrestler's father say?
The "minor" wrestler's father told India Today that "there is no truth to such claims of threats against our family" after Malikkh claimed otherwise in a video message on Saturday. He reportedly stood solid on his argument, claiming they did what was needed without any pressure to change the statement. He urged Malikkh to clarify the basis for her assertions made in the video.
Information
Claims of threats made by Malikkh
Malikkh revealed in the aforementioned video that the minor had given statements twice—to cops under Section 161 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and to a magistrate under Section 164. However, she changed her version in response to purported threats against her family, Malikkh alleged.
Twitter Post
Check Malikkh, her husband Satyawart Kadian's video here
The Truth.#WrestlersProtest pic.twitter.com/eWHRpOSwD9
— Sakshee Malikkh (@SakshiMalik) June 17, 2023
Status
Delhi Police recommends dismissing minor's complaint sans collaborative evidence
Malikkh's statements came after the Delhi Police recommended dismissing the minor wrestler's complaint against Singh due to a lack of corroborating evidence. On July 4, a Delhi court will likely hear the request for a cancellation report. Star Indian wrestlers, including Malikkh, have demanded Singh's arrest, accusing him of sexually harassing seven wrestlers, one of whom was earlier said to be a minor.
About
Know about charges against Singh
While the police submitted a revocation report in the POCSO case against the WFI president, it also submitted a chargesheet in Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court charging him with sexual harassment and several other allegations last week. Earlier, Special Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava revealed that the police chargesheet was filed under Sections 506 (1), 345A, 354D, and 354 of the IPC.