'Does a thief ever say I have stolen?': International referee Jagbir on Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

Wrestlers clash with the police during protests (L), Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh (R), Pic: AFP

International referee Jagbir Singh on Thursday dropped a bombshell, claiming that he has been a witness to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's inappropriate behaviour towards female grapplers on several occasions since 2013.

Brij Bhushan is currently under scrutiny after top Indian wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, demanded his arrest for alleged sexual harassment of women grapplers.

"I am an UWW referee since 2007 and I have been a referee before the birth of the the protesting wrestlers. I also know Brij Bhushan for a long time. I couldn't say much because until the girls register complaints, I could not do anything. But I saw the episode with my own eyes and felt bad," Jagbir told PTI.

Jagbir, who has been a coach-cum-international referee since 2007, said he witnessed Brij Bhushan's misbehaviour with his own eyes on numerous occasions.

"After he became the president during his second tour in 2013 in Kazakhstan, the president told us 'I will feed you Indian food today' and he arranged a party in the junior wrestlers' hotel. Brij Bhushan and his accomplices from Thailand were drunk and they misbehaved with the girls and I was a witness to that. In 2022, I witnessed something. Whenever the president used to travel inside the country for national tournaments, two to three girls were always with him but we could never protest. We have seen that with our eyes," he claimed.

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Jagbir, in fact, has corroborated the protesting wrestler's allegations in his testimony to the Delhi Police.

Asked about Brij Bhushan's denial of all the allegations, Jagbir said: "Does a thief ever say I have stolen? Every culprit will make these excuses."

He, however, refused to comment on the U-turn of the minor wrestler's father, who said he accused Brij Bhushan due to personal enmity after his daughter was discriminated during U-17 Asian Championship Trials.

"I will not like to comment on statement of the minor girl's father. I even don't know who is the minor wrestler. Whatever I am saying is all about what I have seen with my own eyes," he said.

"On 25th March 2022, after a trial, there was a photo session and a girl felt uncomfortable while standing with the president and left the spot."

(With PTI inputs)