Brij Bhushan Singh acquitted in wrestlers' sexual harassment case
Synopsis
A Delhi court has acquitted former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in the sexual harassment case that triggered one of Indian sport's most consequential protests. The ruling closes a two-year legal chapter that began at Jantar Mantar with Olympians Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia demanding accountability — and ends with the prosecution failing to meet the legal threshold of proof.
Key Takeaways
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar were acquitted on 3 August by ACJM Ashwini Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Courts .
The court held that the prosecution failed to establish charges beyond reasonable doubt .
The case was filed following a protest by Olympians Vinesh Phogat , Sakshi Malik , and Bajrang Punia at Jantar Mantar in January 2023 .
An inquiry committee including Mary Kom and Yogeshwar Dutt had been constituted by the IOA during the controversy.
The Union Sports Ministry had suspended WFI's functioning and sidelined Vinod Tomar amid the protests.
Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was acquitted on Monday, 3 August in the sexual harassment and intimidation case filed by several women wrestlers, with the court holding that the prosecution had failed to establish the charges beyond reasonable doubt. Singh described the verdict as 'a moment of happiness' for himself and his supporters.
The Verdict
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Ashwini Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Courts acquitted both Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar, concluding the trial that arose from complaints lodged by multiple women wrestlers. The court found that the prosecution could not prove the charges to the requisite legal standard.
Advocates Rajiv Mohan, Rishabh Bhati, and Rehan Khan represented Singh and Tomar before the trial court.
Singh Reacts After the Ruling
Speaking to reporters outside the court, Singh said, 'Today, the court has honourably acquitted me.' When pressed on his earlier claims that the case was a political conspiracy, he declined to elaborate. 'I don't want to say anything on this right now. I will only say that the court has honourably acquitted me. I had said on that day that I would hang myself if proven guilty, but that situation did not arise,' he said.
Singh added, 'It's a moment for happiness for my supporters and me.'
Background: The 2023 Wrestlers' Protest
The case traces its origins to January 2023, when a group of elite wrestlers — including Olympians Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia — staged a high-profile protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, alleging sexual exploitation and intimidation by Singh. The athletes demanded his resignation as WFI chief and called for the federation's dissolution.
Following a complaint to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President P.T. Usha, an inquiry committee comprising former athletes Mary Kom and Yogeshwar Dutt, among others, was constituted. The WFI, however, denied all allegations against its then-president and coaches.
Institutional Fallout
The controversy prompted the Union Sports Ministry to suspend the functioning of the WFI and sideline then-assistant secretary Vinod Tomar. The protest drew sustained national attention and put India's sports governance structures under sharp scrutiny ahead of the Paris Olympics.
With Monday's acquittal, the trial has formally concluded for both accused. Whether the women wrestlers or the prosecution will pursue any further legal remedy remains to be seen.
Point of View
Not a moral verdict — and that distinction matters. The prosecution's failure to prove charges beyond reasonable doubt does not resolve the broader questions of institutional accountability that the Jantar Mantar protest raised. India's sports governance structures were found wanting in 2023: it took a sit-in by Olympians to trigger any inquiry at all. The WFI saga exposed how athlete grievance mechanisms are either absent or captured. That structural failure remains unaddressed, regardless of how Monday's courtroom proceedings concluded.
NationPress
3 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the verdict in the Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh wrestlers' case?
Former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar were acquitted on 3 August by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Courts. The court held that the prosecution failed to establish the charges of sexual harassment and intimidation beyond reasonable doubt.
Who filed the case against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh?
The case was filed by several women wrestlers following a protest at Jantar Mantar in January 2023. Among the prominent protesters were Olympians Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, who accused Singh of sexual exploitation and intimidation.
What action did the government take during the controversy?
The Union Sports Ministry suspended the functioning of the WFI and sidelined then-assistant secretary Vinod Tomar. The Indian Olympic Association also constituted an inquiry committee comprising former athletes Mary Kom and Yogeshwar Dutt.
What did Brij Bhushan Singh say after the acquittal?
Singh told reporters, 'Today, the court has honourably acquitted me,' and described the verdict as 'a moment of happiness' for himself and his supporters. He declined to revisit his earlier claim that the case was a political conspiracy.
What happens next after the acquittal?
The trial has formally concluded with the acquittal of both accused. Whether the women wrestlers or the prosecution will pursue any further legal remedy — such as an appeal — has not been announced as of the time of reporting.
