By Shekhar Singh
New Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS): Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP from UP's Kaiserganj Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has always been embroiled in controversies since he entered politics in 1990, still faces four pending cases, with serious charges including causing voluntary harm to public servant, robbery, attempt to murder and illegal payments in connection with an election.
As per Singh's election affidavit, three of the cases against him are pending in Allahabad court and one in a Lucknow court. As per record, out of four pending cases, charges were framed against him in two cases and one of the cases includes charges of attempt to murder and under the Arms Act.
However, Singh, who is facing allegations of sexual harassment as WFI chief, has been acquitted in over 30 criminal cases, some of them registered even before his political journey began.
According to the history sheet of the 65-year-old Singh accessed by IANS, there were a total of 38 criminal cases against him registered in Ayodhya, Nawabganj, Faizabad, and Delhi.
"A total of 17 cases were registered in Ayodhya, 12 in Faizabad, 8 in Nawabganj and one in Delhi. The cases were registered under several sections of IPC which even included murder, attempt to murder, and under the UP Gangsters Act, Arms Act among others," according to the history sheet.
Singh was booked four times under UP Gangster Act till 1993.
On December 20, 2022, he was acquitted by an MP-MLA court in Gonda district of all charges in a 29-year-old case related to the attack on former minister in the Samajwadi Party government Vinod Kumar Singh alias Pandit Singh in 1993.
The six-time MP from Gonda, Kaiserganj and Balrampur constituencies in Uttar Pradesh was once also charged under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act.
He was also arrested along with senior BJP leaders L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh and others after demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. He was acquitted in the matter by the court in 2020.
There were even controversies in the election of WFI President in 2012. Brij Bhushan had defeated Deepender Singh Hooda, son of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupender Singh Hooda in a re-election.
Olympian wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and other top Indian grapplers are protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital after Vinesh levelled serious allegations of sexual harassment of female wrestlers against the sports body's coaches and President.
Vinesh had alleged that she was subjected to mental harassment by Singh.
Last year, the WFI President slapped a wrestler on stage for asking him questions, the video of which went viral on social media.