Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's Acquittal Challenged In New Delhi Court By Four Women Wrestlers

Four women wrestlers approached a sessions court on Friday to contest the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case. The plea also seeks to overturn the acquittal of former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar on the charge of criminal intimidation.

Singh was cleared on August 3 by the magisterial court in a case filed by six women wrestlers, including World Championships medallist Vinesh Phogat, on grounds of lack of evidence. Tomar was also acquitted in the same case. The matter is likely to be heard by Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh on Saturday.

Appeal Challenges Acquittal

The plea says the magistrate’s ruling cannot stand in law. PTI reported that the plea filed on Friday described the acquittal order as "erroneous and unsustainable in law".

It challenges Singh's acquittal in the sexual harassment case and Tomar's acquittal on the criminal intimidation charge.

Magistrate Court Findings

The August 3 order, said two of the five complainant wrestlers claimed they were "forced/pressured" to accuse Singh of sexual harassment. It said their testimony made the charge appear politically driven, "false and fabricated, made collectively" in a deep conspiracy.

The court also asked, why the complainants had referred to the "wrong country and year" for the first alleged incident. It said "the contradiction is fatal to the prosecution case" and that "it is not difficult but rather abnormal conduct to not remember the place where the incident of sexual harassment had occurred".

The complainant wrestlers had said they delayed making the allegations because they feared for their careers. But the 239-page judgement said it was "not understandable" that they kept "cordial relations" with Singh for years and that "he was invited to family functions and wedding ceremonies by the victims".

The magisterial court acquitted Singh of "all charges" under IPC sections 354, 354A and 506 (I), and Tomar under Section 506 (Part I) of the IPC.

The verdict said the prosecution had not proved its case. It added that the two alleged victims did not support the prosecution’s case because of any overt act attributable to the accused. The court also said the two wrestlers, who had been projected as victims from the beginning, appeared before it and were later counselled, after which they categorically said no sexual harassment acts had been committed against them.