Brij Bhushan acquittal appeal: Delhi court defers hearing to Sep 28
Synopsis
Four women wrestlers are fighting back — in court. Their appeal challenging the acquittal of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar was deferred to 28 September after the Special Judge was unavailable. The case, which convulsed Indian sport in 2023, is far from closed — and the legal test now shifts to whether the evidence was truly assessed correctly.
Key Takeaways
A Delhi court on 26 September 2026 adjourned to 28 September the appeal by four women wrestlers against the acquittal of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar .
The deferral was due to the unavailability of Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh at Rouse Avenue Courts .
The 3 August trial court verdict had acquitted both accused, ruling the prosecution failed to prove charges beyond reasonable doubt.
The appeal contends the evidence was 'assessed incorrectly' and that the judgment is 'not sustainable in law.' The case originated from a January 2023 protest at Jantar Mantar by Olympians including Vinesh Phogat , Sakshi Malik , and Bajrang Punia .
A separate POCSO case involving a minor wrestler was closed in May 2025 after police found no corroborative evidence.
A Delhi court on Saturday, 26 September 2026, adjourned to 28 September the hearing on an appeal by four women wrestlers challenging the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and former WFI Assistant Secretary Vinod Tomar in the alleged sexual harassment and criminal intimidation case. The matter, listed before the Rouse Avenue Courts, could not be taken up due to the unavailability of Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh.
What the Appeal Seeks
The four women wrestlers have challenged the 3 August trial court judgment that acquitted Singh and Tomar, ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish the charges beyond reasonable doubt. In their appeal, the wrestlers contend that the judgment is not sustainable in law and that the evidence on record was assessed incorrectly.
The appeal also seeks to overturn Tomar's acquittal on the charge of criminal intimidation under Section 506 Part I of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as alleged by one of the complainants.
How the Case Unfolded
The case traces back to January 2023, when a group of wrestlers — including Olympians Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia — staged a high-profile protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, accusing Brij Bhushan of sexual harassment and intimidation. They demanded his resignation as WFI chief and the dissolution of the federation.
Following a complaint to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President P.T. Usha, an inquiry committee that included Mary Kom and Yogeshwar Dutt was constituted. The Union Sports Ministry subsequently suspended the WFI's functioning and sidelined Tomar amid the controversy.
Charges were formally framed by the Rouse Avenue Court in May 2024, covering sexual harassment and outraging the modesty of five women wrestlers. Brij Bhushan had pleaded not guilty throughout, and had separately approached the Delhi High Court to seek the quashing of the FIR, chargesheet, and criminal proceedings.
The Separate POCSO Case
Notably, the present appeal is distinct from a separate POCSO case filed by a minor wrestler against Brij Bhushan. In May 2025, a Delhi court accepted the Delhi Police's cancellation report in that case after investigators said they found no corroborative evidence. The complainant and her father had not opposed the cancellation report.
Reactions After the Acquittal
Following the trial court's acquittal verdict, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia expressed deep disappointment and announced through a statement on X that their legal team had been instructed to file an appeal. 'We are deeply saddened that the court did not find Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh guilty of the sexual harassment allegations made by the women wrestlers,' their statement read, adding that 'the legal battle was far from over.'
BJP leader Brij Bhushan, on the other hand, welcomed the acquittal, calling it 'a victory of the junior players.' He stated: 'This is not my victory. This is the victory of junior players. The junior players have won. And this case has proved that even Olympians and Olympic medal winners can lie for their own interests.'
The next hearing is now scheduled for Monday, 28 September, at the Rouse Avenue Courts, where the appeal is expected to formally come up before the Special Judge.
Point of View
The case also tests whether India's sports governance bodies, which moved slowly and inconsistently in 2023, have built any structural safeguards since. If the appeal fails, the message sent to athletes in power-asymmetric institutional environments will be difficult to walk back.
NationPress
26 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the Brij Bhushan acquittal appeal deferred on 26 September?
The hearing was adjourned because Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh of the Rouse Avenue Courts was unavailable on the scheduled date. The matter has been relisted for Monday, 28 September 2026.
What did the trial court rule in the Brij Bhushan case?
The trial court acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar on 3 August, holding that the prosecution had failed to establish the charges against them beyond reasonable doubt. The women wrestlers have contested this finding in their appeal, arguing the evidence was assessed incorrectly.
What is the women wrestlers' appeal challenging?
The four women wrestlers contend that the trial court's judgment is not sustainable in law and that the evidence on record was not properly assessed. The appeal also seeks to overturn Tomar's acquittal on the criminal intimidation charge under Section 506 Part I of the IPC.
How did the Brij Bhushan sexual harassment case begin?
The case originated in January 2023 when Olympians Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia led a public protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, accusing Brij Bhushan of sexual harassment and intimidation. Charges were formally framed by the Rouse Avenue Court in May 2024.
What happened to the separate POCSO case against Brij Bhushan?
A separate POCSO case filed by a minor wrestler was closed in May 2025, when a Delhi court accepted the Delhi Police's cancellation report after investigators found no corroborative evidence. The complainant and her father had not opposed the cancellation.
