A Delhi court has acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, of all sexual harassment charges.

The ruling concludes a high-profile legal battle that sparked nationwide protests and brought international attention to the treatment of female athletes in India. The case centered on allegations of systemic abuse within the nation's wrestling administration.

The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi delivered the verdict, clearing Singh and assistant secretary Vinod Tomar [2]. The court said there was insufficient evidence to sustain the sexual harassment charges brought against them [1].

The legal proceedings stemmed from a case filed by six women wrestlers [1]. The athletes had accused the former WFI chief of using his position of power to harass and exploit them.

Singh is a former Member of Parliament for the Bharatiya Janata Party. His tenure as the head of the WFI was marked by significant turmoil and public demonstrations by top-tier wrestlers who demanded his removal from office.

The acquittal marks a definitive legal end to the specific charges filed in this case, though it follows years of intense public scrutiny regarding the governance of the sport in India. The court said the prosecution failed to provide evidence that met the legal threshold for conviction.

“A Delhi court has acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of all sexual harassment charges.”

This acquittal represents a significant legal victory for Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, but it highlights the difficulty of prosecuting harassment cases within powerful sporting bureaucracies. While the court found a lack of evidence, the case exposed deep fractures in the Wrestling Federation of India and underscored the vulnerability of athletes facing institutional power.