A Delhi Court on Monday acquitted BJP leader and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief Brij Bhushan Singh in a case alleging that he sexually harassed women wrestlers.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Ashwini Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Courts passed the order of acquittal.
The judge has also acquitted co accused Vinod Tomar in the case.
The verdict was reserved after hearing the prosecution, the complainants as well as the accused persons in length. The proceedings took place in camera.
Senior Advocate Rebecca John appeared for the women wrestlers. Singh was represented by Advocate Rajiv Mohan.
Sexual harassment charges were framed against Singh in May 2024. He however was discharged in the allegations levelled by victim no. 6.
For accused no. 2, Vinod Tomar, the court had framed charges under Section 506 part 1 regarding victim no 1. For the remaining offences, he stands discharged, the court had added.
Previously, the Court had dismissed Singh’s application seeking further investigation in the case and for making further submissions on framing of charges. He had claimed that he was not in India on the date in question.
Singh is out on bail in the case, along with co-accused Vinod Tomar, who is the former assistant secretary of the Wrestling Federation of India.
The Delhi Police had filed the chargesheet under Sections 354 (outraging modesty of a woman), 354A(sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code, 1860 against them. Section 109 (abetment) of IPC was additionally invoked against Tomar.
However, a cancellation report was filed in the POCSO case registered against Singh by a minor wrestler.
The BJP lawmaker has been accused of sexual harassment by women wrestlers. The alleged incidents of sexual harassment are said to have occurred between 2016 and 2019 at the WFI office, at Singh’s official residence and also abroad, according to media reports.
