New Delhi: On Monday, 3 August 2026, a Delhi court acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and a former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament, in the high-profile sexual harassment case filed by women wrestlers.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Ashwini Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Courts delivered the verdict, stating that the prosecution had failed to establish the charges against the accused beyond the required legal standard.
Alongside the former WFI chief, the court also acquitted co-accused Vinod Tomar, the former assistant secretary of the WFI.
The case originated from allegations made by several prominent women athletes, including Olympic and World Championship medallists, who accused Singh of sexual exploitation, inappropriate physical contact, and intimidation during his tenure as the federation’s head. These accusations triggered a series of intense, months-long protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar demanding Singh’s arrest and removal from office.
The legal proceedings gained momentum only after the intervention of the Supreme Court in April 2023, which led to the registration of two separate first information reports (FIRs) by the Delhi Police. One FIR was based on the complaints of six adult women wrestlers, while the second involved a minor wrestler and invoked the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. However, the POCSO case was closed in May 2025 after the minor withdrew her complaint and a cancellation report was accepted by the court.
In the case involving the adult wrestlers, the Delhi Police filed a nearly 1,500-page chargesheet in June 2023. Singh was charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), Section 354A (sexual harassment), Section 354D (stalking), and Section 506(1) (criminal intimidation). Tomar faced charges of criminal intimidation and abetment under Section 109 of the IPC.
Charges were formally framed by the trial court in May 2024. At that stage, the court found sufficient material to proceed with charges relating to five of the six complainants, while Singh was discharged in relation to the allegations made by the sixth wrestler. Both Singh and Tomar pleaded not guilty and remained on bail throughout the duration of the trial.
During the trial, the prosecution examined 32 witnesses, including the complainants and officials from the WFI and the Sports Authority of India. The defence argued that there were material inconsistencies in the testimonies of the complainants and relied on a plea of alibi for certain alleged incidents, contending that records showed Singh was not present at the locations where the harassment was said to have occurred. The defence also questioned the credibility of the allegations by pointing out the delay in reporting the incidents.
In his reaction to the acquittal, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh stated that the verdict vindicated the stand he had maintained since the allegations first surfaced. He reiterated that he had always been ready to face the harshest punishment if even a single charge had been proven.
