A Delhi court on Monday acquitted former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, along with former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar, in the sexual harassment case filed by six women wrestlers. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar delivered the verdict after reserving the matter on July 2 following the completion of final arguments. The court’s detailed judgment is still awaited and is expected to explain the reasons behind the acquittal.
Reacting to the verdict, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said he had maintained his innocence from the very beginning and described the decision as an “honourable acquittal.” He thanked his legal team for their efforts and said he would make further comments only after reading the complete court order. Meanwhile, the prosecution stated that it would carefully examine the judgment and consider filing an appeal before the Delhi High Court if there are legal grounds to challenge the decision.
The case originated from complaints lodged by six women wrestlers, leading Delhi Police to file a chargesheet under provisions of the then Indian Penal Code related to sexual harassment, assault, stalking, and criminal intimidation. In May 2024, the court had framed a charge of criminal intimidation against Singh while discharging him in one complaint filed by one of the wrestlers. With the latest verdict, both Singh and Tomar have been acquitted by the trial court, though the prosecution has indicated that further legal proceedings remain a possibility after reviewing the detailed order.
