Court Acquits Brij Bhushan, Terms Allegations False and Politically Motivated

A Delhi court on Monday acquitted former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and former assistant secretary Vinod Tomar in a sexual harassment case filed by six women wrestlers, observing that the allegations were “false and fabricated” and part of a “deep conspiracy which seems to be politically motivated.”

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar of Rouse Avenue Courts said the allegations against Singh appeared to be “rehearsed, well-practised and planted.” The detailed order copy is yet to be made public, but sources familiar with the ruling shared key observations.

The court noted that the allegations were collectively made at the instance of a female and a male wrestler along with coaches at Mahadev Academy, a wrestling training centre in Haryana's Rohtak. It pointed out that before the protesters sat on dharna, no specific allegations of sexual harassment had been made, and no names of affected female wrestlers had been mentioned.

“Then, the female wrestlers who were selected came forward and same/similar allegations were incorporated in the tailormade formal complaints drafted in a fancy manner with similar excessive decoration and the same were filed on April 21, 2023 before the police,” the court said, referring to a prosecution witness.

The court placed significant reliance on the statements of two wrestlers who had initially complained of sexual harassment but later turned hostile, stating they were forced or pressured to give their statements. “Nothing has been proved by the prosecution which shows that these two survivors did not support the case of the prosecution due to any overt act attributable to the accused,” the order noted.

Drawing attention to the pattern of allegations, the court highlighted similarities: the alleged incidents surfaced during tournaments, and at places where large crowds including family and friends had gathered. The court said it found the testimony of the complainants who turned hostile “credible enough” and “more than sufficient to create reasonable doubt in my mind to discredit the prosecution story.”

The court also flagged the delay in filing complaints and said the allegations seemed “imperfect to be true,” appearing rehearsed and planted. It noted the allegations were “strikingly similar” and made at a common place, indicating “meticulous planning against the accused.” The court observed that the address of one witness was mentioned in complaints and statements of hostile witnesses, suggesting they were tutored.

The case stemmed from complaints by six women wrestlers who accused Singh of sexual harassment during his tenure as WFI chief. The accusations led to widespread protests by wrestlers at Jantar Mantar in early 2023, demanding his arrest. Singh, a former BJP MP, had denied all charges.

Senior lawyer Rebecca John, representing four of the women, described the acquittal as “deeply, deeply disturbing.” She indicated the possibility of legal recourse.

Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Singh reiterated his innocence, saying, “I said on the very first day that if the allegations are true, I will hang myself.” He thanked the court for the judgment.

The acquittal comes after a trial that saw multiple witnesses examined over several months. The court’s order, once made public, will provide the full reasoning behind the decision.