Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's acquittal challenged by women wrestlers

Four women wrestlers have filed an appeal in the Rouse Avenue court challenging the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case. The appeal also contests the acquittal of former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar regarding charges of criminal intimidation.

The challenge follows an August 3 judgment by a magisterial court that acquitted Singh and Tomar due to a lack of evidence. The original ruling suggested that some allegations might have been politically motivated and questioned why the complainants maintained cordial relations with Singh for years following the alleged incidents.

The wrestlers argue that the acquittal is “erroneous and unsustainable in law,” claiming the previous judgment relied on “conjectures and surmises.” They further contend that the court applied “archaic and stereotypical assumptions” regarding how victims of sexual assault are expected to behave, rather than assessing evidence within the actual context of the complainants' circumstances.

A hearing originally scheduled for Saturday was adjourned because Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh was attending judicial training; the matter is now set to be heard on September 28.