Women Wrestlers Challenge Acquittal of WFI Chief in Harassment Case
Appeal Filed Against Acquittal
On Friday, four female wrestlers initiated an appeal contesting a magistrate's decision that cleared Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), of sexual harassment allegations.
The criminal appeal, submitted to the principal district and sessions judge at the Rouse Avenue court, also questions the acquittal of Vinod Tomar, the former WFI assistant secretary, regarding charges of criminal intimidation.
This case is expected to be reviewed by Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh on Saturday.
Earlier, on August 3, the magisterial court had acquitted Singh, a former BJP MP, in a case brought forth by six women wrestlers, including World Championships medallist Vinesh Phogat, citing insufficient evidence. Tomar was also cleared in this ruling.
The appeal filed on Friday argues that the acquittal verdict is legally unsound, claiming it is based on a 'manifestly erroneous and selective appreciation' of the evidence presented, relying on conjectures rather than established legal principles.
The document contends that the judgment was influenced by outdated and stereotypical views regarding how victims of sexual assault should behave, rather than a fair evaluation of the evidence considering the victims' circumstances.
It criticizes the ruling for applying an unrealistic standard of the 'ideal victim,' suggesting that a true victim would recall the exact details of an assault while forgetting the dates of various tournaments.
The appeal further states that it was presumed the ideal victim would react immediately during the incident and sever all ties with the perpetrator, despite the latter's control over her professional life.
Additionally, it claims that the expectation for victims to recount their experiences consistently to every confidant is unrealistic, labeling any deviation as a significant inconsistency.
The appeal emphasizes that such assumptions do not accurately represent the behavior of actual victims. It alleges that the magistrate's findings relied on unverified defense materials rather than the detailed and corroborated accounts of the complainants.
The plea asserts that the magistrate's ruling unfairly drew negative inferences against one complainant without addressing the substance of her testimony that supported the prosecution's case.
It also notes that the testimonies of two witnesses, who later changed their statements, did not undermine the corroborated accounts of the four women wrestlers involved in the appeal.
The appeal highlights that Singh, a six-time MP and three-time WFI president, had significant influence over the careers of the appellants, both directly and through Tomar and the coaching staff.