Wrestlers move sessions court against Brij Bhushan’s acquittal

Four women wrestlers have challenged a Delhi magistrate's order acquitting former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case. They have also challenged former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar's acquittal on a criminal intimidation charge

New Delhi: Four women wrestlers on Friday moved a sessions court, challenging a magistrate’s order acquitting former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case.

The plea also challenges the acquittal of former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar on the charge of criminal intimidation.

---

On August 3, the magisterial court acquitted Singh, a former BJP MP and former WFI chief, in the case filed by six women wrestlers, including World Championships medallist Vinesh Phogat, citing lack of evidence. The court also acquitted Tomar.

According to the plea filed on Friday, the acquittal order was “erroneous and unsustainable in law”.

The matter is likely to be heard by Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh on Saturday.

The magisterial court’s order had noted that two of the five complainant wrestlers stated that they were “forced/pressured” to level allegations of sexual harassment against Singh.

It said their testimonies appeared to indicate that the allegations were politically motivated, “false and fabricated, made collectively” in a deep conspiracy.

The court also questioned how the complainants had mentioned the “wrong country and year” of the alleged first incident, saying “the contradiction is fatal to the prosecution case”. It observed that “it is not difficult but rather abnormal conduct to not remember the place where the incident of sexual harassment had occurred”.

The complainant wrestlers had said they feared their careers could be affected and therefore did not make allegations against the accused in a timely manner. However, the 239-page judgment said “it is not understandable” how they maintained “cordial relations” with Singh for years and that “he was invited to family functions and wedding ceremonies by the victims”.

The magisterial court had acquitted Singh of “all charges” under IPC Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment) and 506(I) (criminal intimidation), and Tomar under Section 506 (Part I) of the IPC.

The verdict said the prosecution had failed to prove its case, including that the two alleged victims did not support the prosecution because of any overt act attributable to the accused.

It also said the two wrestlers who had been projected as victims from the inception appeared before the court and were counselled, following which they categorically stated that no acts of sexual harassment had been committed against them.