New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday acquitted BJP leader and former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case filed by women wrestlers.
The court also cleared co-accused Vinod Tomar in the matter. The report is based on court proceedings and subsequent media accounts.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Courts delivered the verdict after hearing the prosecution, the complainants and the accused at length.
The hearing was conducted in camera. Singh was represented by Advocate Rajiv Mohan, while Senior Advocate Rebecca John appeared for the women wrestlers. Sexual harassment charges had been framed against Singh in May 2024, as reported by LiveLaw.in.
In Tomar’s case, the court framed charges under Section 506 part 1 in relation to victim no. 1. Earlier, Singh’s plea seeking further investigation and permission to make additional submissions at the stage of framing of charges had been rejected. He had argued that he was not in India on the date concerned.
The Delhi Police chargesheeted Singh and Tomar under IPC Sections 354, 354A, 354D and 506(1), while Section 109, relating to abetment, was also invoked against Tomar.
A cancellation report was also filed in the POCSO case registered against Singh by a minor wrestler. Singh had earlier been cleared in that separate matter after a Delhi court accepted a police report recommending cancellation.
The alleged incidents were said to have taken place between 2016 and 2019 at the WFI office, Singh’s official residence and abroad, according to media reports.
Singh, a former BJP MP, has long denied wrongdoing. Responding to Monday’s order, he said he had been proved right.
“I said on the very first day that if the allegations are true, I will hang myself. I am very happy that I have been acquitted today. It is good news for me and good news for my supporters. I cannot say anything more than that,” India Today quoted Singh as saying.