Sexual harassment: Delhi court seeks Brij Bhushan's response to women wrestlers' appeal against his acquittal

A Delhi court on Monday issued notice to former BJP MP and ex-chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on an appeal filed by four women wrestlers against the acquittal of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in the sexual harassment case. .Special Judge Digvinay Singh of the Rouse Avenue Court said that the case will be heard next on October 9. The Court also issued notice to co-accused Vinod Tomar who has also been acquitted in the case. The wrestlers approached the sessions court against the magistrate court's order of August 3 acquitting Singh and Tomar. .According to their appeal, the trial court order is based on "surmises and conjectures" and its reasoning is based on "archaic and stereotypical assumptions" about the “expected” behaviour of victims of sexual assault and harassment.As per the plea, the trial court fixated on small, unimportant slips and used them to reject the case against Singh in its entirety, instead of looking at the whole picture backed up by witness corroboration..The case pertains to sexual harassment allegations raised by six women wrestlers against Singh. Based on their complaints, the police had registered a first information report (FIR) against the MP.On June 15, 2023, the police filed a chargesheet against Singh for offences under Sections 354 (outraging modesty), 354A (sexually coloured remarks), 354D (stalking) and 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).The trial court on May 10, 2024, framed charges of sexual harassment and outraging modesty of women against Singh for harassing five women wrestlers..However, on August 3, 2026, both Singh and Tomar were acquitted in the case by the trial court.The trial court said that the case was "false and fabricated" and seemed to be "politically" motivated. It observed that the allegations against Singh appeared to be rehearsed, well-practised and planted, more so when the complaints have been filed after a long period of time.The court held that before the wrestlers sat on dharna (protest) in 2023, there were no allegations of sexual harassment against Singh by PW 5 (one of the woman wrestlers) and "no name of any female wrestler who had faced alleged sexual harassment had been mentioned"."Then the female wrestlers who were selected came forward and then same/similar allegations were incorporated in the tailor made formal complaints drafted in fancy manner with similar excessive decoration and the same were filed on 21.04.2023, before the police," the trial court observed. .It also noted that the allegations made against Singh go back several years and the victims remained silent for many years. Even after the alleged incidents, the victims maintained cordial relations with Singh, invited him to family functions and wedding ceremonies, the court said. This verdict has now been challenged before the sessions court.