On Monday, a Delhi court acquitted BJP leader and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh in a case accusing him of sexually harassing women wrestlers.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Ashwini Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Courts delivered the acquittal order. Co-accused Vinod Tomar was also acquitted in the matter.
The judgment was reserved after extensive hearings of the prosecution, the complainants, and the accused. The proceedings were conducted in camera.
Senior Advocate Rebecca John represented the women wrestlers, while Advocate Rajiv Mohan appeared on behalf of Singh.
Singh was acquitted from sexual harassment charges levied against him in May 2024 case by wrestlers.
Along with him co-accused Vinod Tomar too was discharged from the charges under Section 506.
“Noting that both accused are honourably acquitted, the Court observed that the unexplained delay, inconsistencies, contradiction on major issues, and post-incident conduct of all complainants made their version highly unbelievable,” Mr. Singh’s Rajiv Mohan said.
Addressing reporters outside the court, Mr. Singh stated: "On the first day, I had declared that if any accusation against me was proven, I would hang myself. The court has now cleared me of all charges with honour. I am pleased and thankful to my lawyers."
Singh has been released on bail in the case, as has co-accused Vinod Tomar, the former assistant secretary of the Wrestling Federation of India.
The Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against them under Sections 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), and 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
Section 109 of the IPC, relating to abetment, was also applied to Tomar.
However, in the POCSO case lodged against Singh by a minor wrestler, a cancellation report was submitted.
The BJP legislator has been accused of sexually harassing women wrestlers.
In 2023, several prominent wrestlers, among them Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sangeeta Phogat, staged months-long protests in New Delhi, calling for the arrest of the BJP leader accused of sexually harassing multiple women wrestlers, including a minor.
The complaint alleged that the abuse occurred between 2016 and 2019 at the WFI office, at Mr. Singh’s official residence, as well as during international trips.
