Claiming to be the uncle of the "minor" girl, Amit Pehlwan has hit out at the protesting wrestlers, saying that they are "misleading" his family and using them to frame Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The protesting grapplers, including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat, have been demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan, who they have accused of sexually harassing several women wrestlers, including a minor.
However, Amit claimed that the wrestlers are carrying out a scam as his brother's daughter's (niece) age has been changed to 16 years, so that the grapplers can "wrongly utilise" the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act. He said the girl's date of birth is 22-02-2004.
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"These wrestlers are using my family to carry out a scam. The victim they claim is minor, I am from that family, she is my bhatiji (niece). Mai uska chacha hu (I'm her uncle).
"The POCSO Act cannot be used here. The victim is 20-year-old. Is this not a wrong use of POCSO Act?" he said during an interaction with reporters in Rohtak.
Amit, who does not share a good rapport with his brother (the girl's father), said he got to know about the entire issue 10-15 days back when police came to his house as part of their enquiry.
"The SIT team visited our house with two sub-inspectors, two ladies and they conducted their enquiry.
"Some players from Punjab, Sakshi and Vinesh misled my brother. They are shedding fake tears (Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat).
"We want justice, why is Vinesh Phogat doing this. They misled my brother, anyone can be misguided. First they sat in January-February, but then the matter got complicated.
"Then they thought about using other tactics - whether by using the women card, POCSO card, the objective was to go after the leader (Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh) by hook or crook," claimed Amit.
Claiming that he was the one who introduced his niece to wrestling, Amit said the political leader and wrestlers are all playing their "game".
"People are looking at Vinesh Phogat's tears, but come and look at her mother's tears, her grandmother's. I mean the political leaders are playing their game, the wrestlers are playing their game, what are we supposed to do."
Amit also claimed that no such incident happened with the girl.
"When she came to the centre for practice here, or when we meet in competitions, I specifically asked her if something like this has happened, she has said nothing of that sort has happened. I'm sure nothing of that sort has happened."