A Delhi court on Monday acquitted former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and former WFI Assistant Secretary Vinod Tomar in the sexual harassment case filed by six women wrestlers.
The verdict was delivered by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Courts, bringing to a close a trial that lasted nearly two years.
Court Delivers Verdict After Two-Year Trial
The court had reserved its judgment on July 2 after hearing final arguments from both the prosecution and the defence. It had also directed both sides to submit written submissions before pronouncing the verdict.
The case stemmed from allegations made by six women wrestlers, who accused Singh of sexual harassment and intimidation during different periods between 2012 and 2022.
Charges Against the Accused
Brij Bhushan Singh faced charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for:
- Assault or use of criminal force with intent to outrage a woman’s modesty.
- Sexual harassment.
- Criminal intimidation.
Co-accused Vinod Tomar was charged with criminal intimidation.
The offences carried a maximum punishment of up to five years’ imprisonment.
How the Case Began
The allegations against Singh became public during the wrestlers’ protests at Jantar Mantar in 2023, where several prominent athletes demanded his arrest and removal as WFI chief.
Following assurances from the Union Sports Ministry that the allegations would be examined, the protests were temporarily suspended before resuming later over concerns about the pace of the investigation.
FIR Registered After Supreme Court Intervention
In April 2023, following intervention by the Supreme Court, Delhi Police registered two FIRs against Singh.
One FIR was based on complaints by six adult women wrestlers, while another involved allegations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act based on a complaint by a minor wrestler.
The POCSO case was later closed after the complainant, who had become an adult by then, withdrew her allegations. Delhi Police subsequently filed a closure report citing the absence of corroborative evidence.
Investigation and Trial
Delhi Police filed a chargesheet in June 2023, stating that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute the accused.
In May 2024, the court framed charges against Brij Bhushan Singh and Vinod Tomar. Both pleaded not guilty and opted to stand trial.
The in-camera trial commenced in July 2024. During the proceedings:
- The prosecution examined 32 witnesses.
- The witnesses included the six complainants, officials from the Wrestling Federation of India and the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
The prosecution argued that witness testimonies supported the allegations made by the complainants.
The defence, meanwhile, denied all allegations, describing them as motivated and claiming they were aimed at removing Singh from his position as WFI chief.
Court Acquits Both Accused
After examining the evidence and hearing arguments from both sides, the Rouse Avenue Court acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar in the case filed by the six women wrestlers.
The detailed judgment is expected to provide the court’s reasoning behind the acquittal.
