Women wrestlers challenge Brij Bhushan Singh's acquittal in Delhi court

Four women wrestlers have approached a Delhi court to challenge the acquittal of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a former BJP MP and erstwhile chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), along with co-accused Vinod Tomar in a sexual harassment case.

The appeal is expected to come up on Saturday before Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh of the Rouse Avenue Court. It assails the trial court's verdict of August 3, 2026, which cleared both accused.

In acquitting the two, the trial court had pointed to what it described as significant inconsistencies in the complainants' accounts, particularly regarding the dates, years and locations of the alleged incidents.

The wrestlers contend that the trial court failed to apply binding and well-settled principles of law. According to their appeal, the verdict rests on archaic and stereotypical assumptions about how victims of sexual harassment and assault are expected to behave. The application further argues that the trial court concentrated on minor inconsistencies while overlooking the wider body of evidence.

Origins of the case

The matter drew national attention after prominent wrestlers, among them Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sangeeta Phogat, staged months-long protests in New Delhi in 2023. They demanded Mr. Singh's arrest over allegations of sexual harassment levelled by several women wrestlers, one of whom was a minor. The complainants said the alleged incidents took place between 2016 and 2019 at the WFI office, at Mr. Singh's official residence and during international tours.

The Union Sports Ministry set up an oversight committee to look into the allegations amid the protests. After the Supreme Court intervened, Delhi Police registered a first information report against Mr. Singh in May 2023 and filed a chargesheet running over 1,000 pages before the Rouse Avenue Court the following month. The charges invoked Sections 354, 354A, 354D and 506(1) of the Indian Penal Code, covering assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, sexual harassment, stalking and criminal intimidation.

On May 10, 2024, the trial court framed charges against Mr. Singh under Sections 354 and 354A of the IPC in connection with allegations made by five women wrestlers. It also found sufficient grounds to frame charges under Section 506(1) in relation to complaints by two wrestlers.

A separate case was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on a complaint by a minor wrestler. That proceeding ended after the complainant withdrew her allegations and revised her statement, following which Delhi Police filed a closure report that the court accepted.