A Delhi court has dismissed sexual harassment allegations made by a minor female wrestler against BJP leader and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The complainants had alleged they were molested at training camps and tournaments.
Singh was charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which carries a minimum sentence of three years depending on the offence. However, the court found Singh not guilty after the complainant raised no objection to the findings of the police investigation.
The judgment was delivered by Additional Sessions Judge Gomti Manocha at Patiala House Court.
During an in-camera hearing on 1 August 2023, the complainant told the court she was satisfied with the police investigation and did not wish to pursue the case further. Delhi Police moved to close the case after the minor’s father admitted on 15 June 2023 that the complaint had been false.
The case, which involved 20 witnesses, including call recordings, photographs and videos, was closed due to a lack of corroborative evidence.
However, Singh still faces allegations of sexual harassment and stalking in a separate case filed by six adult women wrestlers. Former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar is also an accused in that case. Both men have denied the allegations and requested a trial.
The controversy escalated when Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, along with world champion Vinesh Phogat, were detained during a protest march towards India’s new parliament building. Footage of the athletes being dragged away by police sparked national outrage and drew criticism from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The wrestlers paused their protest following meetings with Home Minister Amit Shah and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government faced criticism for its slow response to the accusations. The government has denied all allegations of inaction.
Singh faces charges under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), and 506 (part 1) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), based on complaints from two women. Tomar has been charged under Section 506 (part 1), but has not been charged with any other offences.
The Delhi Police filed a 1,599-page chargesheet on 15 June 2023, containing statements from 44 witnesses and photographic evidence. The chargesheet noted that both accused had cooperated with the investigation in accordance with Section 41A of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), allowing the case to proceed without arrest.
Singh was thus cleared of the charge of molesting a minor, following the testimonies of the girl and her father, who expressed satisfaction with the investigation and raised no objection to the cancellation report.
India's aviation investigative unit said the probe was "progressing steadily" (PTI photo)
