Former Wrestling Chief Acquitted in Landmark Sexual Harassment Case

NEW DELHI, India – In a highly anticipated verdict, a Delhi court on Monday acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), and co-accused Vinod Tomar, in a sexual harassment case that triggered widespread protests and drew international attention to athlete safety. The Rouse Avenue Court's Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar delivered the judgment, bringing a contentious legal battle to a close, at least for now, three years after allegations first surfaced. The acquittal has reignited debates over justice, accountability, and the challenges faced by complainants in high-profile cases within India's sports administration.

The Acquittal and Court's Reasoning

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar acquitted both Singh, a former Member of Parliament, and Tomar, the former WFI assistant secretary. While a detailed judgment is still awaited, Singh's legal team indicated that the court cited "unexplained delay, inconsistencies, contradiction on major issues, and post-incident conduct of all complainants" as reasons for finding their testimonies "highly unbelievable." The defense also presented alibi pleas for certain alleged incidents, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish Singh's presence at the locations in question. Furthermore, the defense highlighted the considerable delay in reporting the alleged incidents, with some dating back seven to eight years, and pointed to public interactions and social media activity of the complainants during the intervening period to question the credibility of the allegations.

Charges against Singh had been framed in May 2024 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including those related to sexual harassment, outraging the modesty of women, stalking, and criminal intimidation, concerning five out of six adult complainants. Tomar was charged with criminal intimidation regarding one complainant. One minor complainant had earlier withdrawn her allegations, leading to the closure of a separate case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in May 2025 due to a lack of corroborative evidence.

Genesis of the Controversy: Allegations and Athlete Protests

The accusations against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a powerful political figure and long-serving president of the WFI, first came to public light in January 2023. Several of India's most decorated wrestlers, including Olympic medalists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, and Commonwealth and Asian Games medalist Vinesh Phogat, initiated a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. They alleged that Singh had sexually harassed female wrestlers for years, citing incidents of groping, inappropriate touching, stalking, intimidation, and demanding "sexual favors" in exchange for professional support. The allegations created a "shared sense of fear and trauma" among women wrestlers.

Initially, the protests were temporarily called off after the Sports Ministry promised an oversight committee to investigate the claims. However, dissatisfaction with the pace and perceived lack of action led to renewed and more intense protests in April 2023, drawing significant national and international attention. The wrestlers approached the Supreme Court, which ultimately led to the Delhi Police filing two First Information Reports (FIRs) against Singh and Tomar based on complaints from seven wrestlers, including the minor. The protests highlighted the vulnerability of female athletes within sports institutions and sparked a broader conversation about gender equality and power dynamics in Indian sports.

The Legal Process and Defense Arguments

The legal proceedings spanned over two years, with the trial conducted in-camera. Delhi Police filed a 1,500-page chargesheet in June 2023, detailing statements from 22 witnesses across four states. The prosecution presented 32 witnesses during the trial, including wrestlers, coaches, and officials.

The defense, led by advocates Rajiv Mohan, Rishabh Bhati, and Rehan Khan, mounted a vigorous challenge, asserting that the complainants' testimonies contained "material inconsistencies." They argued that dates and locations of alleged incidents changed during cross-examination, and courtroom testimonies diverged from earlier affidavits submitted to the government's Oversight Committee. The defense also pointed to the complainants' delay in reporting the incidents and their continued public interactions with Singh as factors undermining the credibility of their claims. Two of the adult complainants reportedly turned hostile during the trial.

Reactions and Broader Implications

The acquittal has elicited strong and contrasting reactions. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh expressed relief and satisfaction, telling reporters, "I had complete faith that justice would be done… justice was done." He added, "I never considered myself a criminal at all." Singh reiterated his earlier assertion that he would have "hung himself" if any allegation was proven true, marking this day as one of joy for him and his supporters.

Conversely, Olympic medalist Vinesh Phogat, a prominent voice in the protests, expressed profound disappointment. She stated that the wrestlers were "deeply saddened that the court did not hold Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh guilty" and affirmed their intention to appeal the verdict, vowing that "the wrestlers will continue their fight." The public prosecutor's office has also indicated it will examine the detailed order to determine if "appropriate action" is warranted before higher courts.

This case has had significant repercussions beyond the courtroom. The allegations and subsequent protests brought unprecedented scrutiny to the governance of sports federations in India and the mechanisms available for athletes to report harassment. While Singh was not given a ticket by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from his stronghold constituency of Kaiserganj, his son Karan Bhushan Singh subsequently won the seat. The verdict concludes a pivotal chapter in a saga that underscored the complex interplay of sports, politics, and the pursuit of justice in India.