A Delhi court has acquitted former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment charges filed by women wrestlers [1, 2].
The ruling concludes a high-profile legal battle that pitted some of India's top athletes against a powerful political figure and former head of the Wrestling Federation of India. The outcome raises questions about the nature of the allegations and the potential for legal repercussions for the complainants.
The court said that the allegations were false, fabricated, and politically motivated [1, 3]. According to the ruling, the court noted material contradictions and substantial improvements in the testimony provided by the complainants [1, 3]. The case centered on allegations of sexual harassment made by several women wrestlers during Singh's tenure as president of the Wrestling Federation of India [3].
Following the acquittal, BJP leader Amit Malviya questioned the motivations behind the accusations. Malviya said he wanted to know what punitive action should follow against those who made false allegations and those in the political class who amplified them [4].
Singh previously served as a member of parliament for the BJP and held significant influence over the administration of wrestling in India. The legal process involved multiple hearings in the Delhi court before the final decision was reached [1, 2].
“The allegations were false, fabricated, and politically motivated.”
The acquittal of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh marks a significant legal victory for the former MP and a setback for the women wrestlers who led the protests. By characterizing the claims as politically motivated, the court's ruling may shift the public and legal discourse from the allegations of harassment toward the accountability of the accusers, potentially chilling future reports of misconduct within sports federations.
