Court Acquits Former WFI Chief in Sexual Harassment Case

Court Ruling on WFI Leaders

On Monday, the Rouse Avenue court cleared former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and former secretary Vinod Tomar of charges related to a sexual harassment case. This case stemmed from an FIR lodged by female wrestlers during Singh's leadership at the WFI.

Details of the Case

The Delhi Police had charged Singh and Tomar under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 354, 354D, 354A, 506 (1), and 109. The acquittal was announced by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Ashwani Panwar after a closed courtroom session. The court is expected to release a detailed judgment soon. On July 2, the court had reserved its decision regarding the allegations against Singh and Tomar.

Investigation and Trial Process

Singh and Tomar faced trial concerning allegations of sexual harassment directed at women wrestlers both in India and internationally during Singh's tenure at the WFI. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was represented by Advocate Rajiv Mohan, with assistance from Rehan Khan and Rishabh Bhati, while senior advocate Rebecca John represented the complainants. The arguments concluded on June 30. The case gained public attention when women wrestlers protested at Jantar Mantar, leading to the Delhi Police filing an FIR based on their complaints. Following an investigation, a comprehensive 1500-page charge sheet was submitted on June 15, 2023, detailing the allegations against Singh and Tomar.