New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday acquitted former Wrestling Federation of India president and ex-BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in the long-running sexual harassment case filed by six women wrestlers. Co-accused Vinod Tomar, former assistant secretary of the WFI, was also acquitted.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Courts gave the decision after keeping it pending from July 2. The court said the prosecution could not prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt. It noted long delays in filing the complaints, contradictions in the statements, and the later behaviour of the complainants. The defence called it an honourable clearing of the charges. The full written order is still to come.
Brij Bhushan welcomed the decision and said he felt relieved after the long case. The wrestlers were unhappy with the result. Vinesh Phogat and others said they have told their lawyers to challenge the order in a higher court and will keep fighting.
What were the charges
Brij Bhushan faced charges under the Indian Penal Code for outraging a woman’s modesty (Section 354), sexual harassment (Section 354A), stalking (Section 354D) and criminal intimidation (Section 506). Vinod Tomar faced similar charges, including helping in the acts and criminal intimidation.
These charges were framed by the trial court in May 2024 based on complaints from five of the six adult wrestlers. The court dropped the case against Brij Bhushan for one complainant because there was not enough evidence. The alleged acts were said to have happened between 2016 and 2019 at the WFI office, his house and during trips.
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How long Brij Bhushan was in office and the case of the minor wrestler
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was president of the Wrestling Federation of India for more than 10 years, from 2012 until late 2023. He left the post after the wrestlers’ protests and the filing of cases against him. During this long period he held strong control over Indian wrestling.
There was also a separate case involving a minor girl wrestler under the POCSO Act. Delhi Police registered this case in April 2023. During the probe, the girl’s father said the complaint was false and made because of personal anger. Police found no supporting evidence and asked the court to close the case. The girl, who was no longer a minor by then, later told the court she had no problem with the case being closed. In May 2025 a Delhi sessions court accepted the police report and closed the POCSO case.
How the case started and moved forward
The matter began in January 2023 when top women wrestlers, including Olympians Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, held a big protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. They accused Brij Bhushan of sexual harassment and threats while he was WFI chief.
When police did not act fast, the wrestlers went to the Supreme Court in April 2023. The court ordered action. On April 28, 2023, Delhi Police registered two FIRs — one for the adult wrestlers under the sections listed above, and another under the POCSO Act for the minor.
In June 2023 police filed a detailed chargesheet against Brij Bhushan and Vinod Tomar in the main case of the adult wrestlers. The trial was held mostly in private. Brij Bhushan had asked the Delhi High Court to cancel the case, but the trial continued until Monday’s decision.
What this means and what can happen next
The acquittal ends the case at the trial-court level after more than three years. It does not, however, close the legal chapter completely. The prosecution and the complainants can appeal to the Delhi High Court. If they remain dissatisfied after the High Court stage, a further challenge in the Supreme Court is possible under India’s criminal justice system.
The public prosecutor said the side would examine the detailed order before deciding its next step. Legal observers note that any appeal will focus on whether the trial court correctly weighed the evidence and applied the law.
The case had already forced major changes in Indian wrestling. The WFI was suspended for a period, new elections were held under greater oversight, and the sport’s international body had earlier imposed temporary restrictions. Those administrative shifts remain in place even as the criminal trial against the former federation chief reaches this stage.
For now, Brij Bhushan walks free of the charges at the trial court. The wrestlers who led the 2023 protests say their fight is not over.
Prateeksha Kumari is a journalist and strategic communications professional specialising in digital journalism, political reporting, and public affairs. Her work focuses on grassroots issues, governance, and civic developments, with an emphasis on clarity, accuracy, and narrative-driven reporting.
She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla and has qualified the UGC-NET examination, reflecting her academic grounding in media studies and communication research. Her reporting spans politics, public policy, health, education, and socio-economic issues, and she is experienced in bilingual (Hindi and English) content creation tailored to diverse audiences.
Alongside her journalistic work, she brings experience in political communication and public relations, where she has contributed to campaign messaging, media outreach, and narrative building. She has worked on integrated communication strategies across print and digital platforms, combining editorial judgment with audience insight and data-led content approaches.
