Wrestlers’ Case: Court Gives Brij Bhushan Final Chance to Reply to Acquittal Appeal

A Delhi court on Wednesday granted former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh a final opportunity to reply to an appeal challenging his acquittal in the women wrestlers’ sexual harassment case.

Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh at Rouse Avenue court passed the direction after defence counsel appeared online and sought a week to submit the response. The matter was listed for November 20.

Women wrestlers have challenged the August 3 judgment acquitting Singh and former WFI official Vinod Tomar. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwani Panwar had delivered the acquittal following proceedings held in a closed courtroom.

What the wrestlers’ appeal argues

The appellants contend that the acquittal is legally unsustainable and rests on an erroneous and selective assessment of the evidence.

Their appeal alleges that the trial court relied on conjecture and failed to apply settled legal principles. It also challenges what it describes as “archaic and stereotypical assumptions” about how victims of sexual assault and harassment are expected to behave.

These are the appellants’ arguments against the judgment. The court hearing the challenge has yet to decide their merits.

Earlier notice and confidentiality directions

The court issued notices to Singh and Tomar on September 28. It also directed that the original affidavit and orders containing the complainants’ names be placed in a sealed envelope.

The appellants were instructed to submit a copy of the petition with those names redacted.

At an earlier hearing, defence lawyers sought additional time, saying they had received the appeal papers late. The court had also asked Additional Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat to obtain instructions on whether the State intended to file a revision petition.

Wednesday’s direction gives the defence a final opportunity to place its reply before the court ahead of the next hearing.

The case behind the appeal

The prosecution concerned allegations that Singh sexually harassed women wrestlers in India and abroad during his tenure as WFI president. The allegations prompted protests by wrestlers at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

Delhi Police filed a roughly 1,500-page chargesheet against Singh and Tomar on June 15, 2023. The prosecution invoked provisions of the Indian Penal Code relating to sexual harassment, assault or criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, stalking, criminal intimidation and abetment.

The trial ended in their acquittal on August 3. That judgment is now being challenged by the wrestlers.

With inputs from ANI