Delhi Court Acquits Former WFI Chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh in Sexual Harassment Case

A Delhi court acquitted former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, calling the allegations of sexual harassment against him false and concocted, and saying that the allegations appeared to be politically motivated. The court also said that the prosecution had failed to prove the allegations beyond doubt. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwani Panwar of Rouse Avenue Court acquitted Brijbhushan Sharan Singh and co-accused Vinod Tomar (who is a former assistant secretary of WFI). The detailed order has not been made public, but reports suggest that the two wrestlers whose allegations were made part of the prosecution's case recanted their statements during the trial. The court questioned the credibility of the allegations given the behaviour of some of the complainants after the alleged incidents. The court noted that some of the wrestlers remained in touch with Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, attended his family functions and weddings, and that the victim's complaint to the court did not find any mention of the alleged incidents.