Delhi Court Acquits Former Wrestling Federation Officials in Sexual Harassment Case

Court Ruling on Wrestling Federation Officials

New Delhi, August 3 - A Delhi court has acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), and co-accused Vinod Tomar, the former assistant secretary of WFI, in a sexual harassment case filed by six female wrestlers. Here’s a timeline of the key events in the case:

April 23, 2023: Female wrestlers began a protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. April 25, 2023: The Supreme Court took note of a petition filed by seven female wrestlers and issued a notice to the Delhi police.

April 28, 2023: The Delhi police registered two FIRs against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh at the Connaught Place police station. May 4, 2023: The Supreme Court resolved the matter by stating that FIRs had been filed and directed the police to provide security to the complainant wrestlers.

June 15, 2023: The Delhi police filed a charge sheet against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including sexual harassment. However, in the case involving a minor female wrestler, the police submitted a 'closure report' after investigation. July 4, 2023: The sessions court sought responses from the minor wrestler and her father regarding the closure report.

July 7, 2023: The Delhi High Court allowed the minor wrestler to withdraw her petition for a court-monitored investigation, as the police had completed their inquiry and submitted the closure report. On the same day, a Delhi court took cognizance of the charge sheet and instructed Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar to appear in court on July 18.

July 18, 2023: Both accused appeared in court and were granted interim bail for two days. July 20, 2023: Regular bail was granted to both accused. May 21, 2024: The court framed charges against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for sexual harassment, criminal intimidation, and outraging a woman's modesty, while charges of criminal intimidation were framed against Vinod Tomar.

However, due to insufficient evidence in one of the complaints from the six female wrestlers, the court acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of that particular complaint. June 1, 2024: The hearing of the case commenced. May 26, 2025: The court accepted the Delhi police's closure report in the sexual harassment case filed by the wrestler who alleged she was abused while she was a minor, thereby closing the case.

July 2, 2026: The court reserved its judgment. On August 3, 2026, the court acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar.