The act of merely touching does not constitute illegal behavior: Inder Bhushan

In response to an allegation made against Singh at a wrestling match in Siri Fort, Mohan stated that no sexual approaches were made and that only embracing was done.

Outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh told a Delhi court on Wednesday that simply touching a lady without sexual intent does not constitute criminal behavior.

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The submissions came during a hearing in which the court considered whether to charge Singh and suspended WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar.

"Simply touching a woman without sexual intent is not criminal behavior...The event is a wrestling match...The majority of the coaches are men. "If a coach hugs his student out of anxiety or joy at doing something for the country, it should not be considered an offense," Advocate Rajiv Mohan, appearing for Singh, told Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal as he opposed charging in the case filed by female wrestlers.

In response to an allegation made against Singh at a wrestling match in Siri Fort, Mohan stated that no sexual approaches were made and that only embracing was done.

He further stated that some of the examples listed by wrestlers were outside of the Delhi Court's jurisdictional jurisdiction and that cases that occurred outside of India could not be tried by the court without Central Government approval.

The remaining alleged crimes were committed in Delhi, Bellary, and Lucknow. Mohan, who was joined by Advocates Rishabh Bhatia and Rehan Khan, claimed that the court can only proceed with an offense committed in a different state within India if it is a "continuing" one. "Sexual harassment is a one-time offense, not a recurring one," Mohan explained.

Bringing up the Sports Ministry's oversight committee's investigation, he stated that the complaints against Singh were "not substantiated." On Thursday, the hearing will resume.

On July 20, the metropolitan court granted Singh and Tomar release on a Rs 25,000 bond with numerous restrictions, including that they not leave the country without the court's prior permission and not offer any inducement to witnesses.

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