Now Reading: Delhi court acquits Brij Bhushan in wrestlers’ sexual harassment case, calls allegations false
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Delhi court acquits Brij Bhushan in wrestlers’ sexual harassment case, calls allegations false
Delhi court acquits Brij Bhushan in wrestlers’ sexual harassment case, calls allegations false
A Delhi court has acquitted former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and former assistant secretary Vinod Tomar in a sexual harassment case filed by women wrestlers. Additional Chief…
The Story in Brief
A Delhi court has acquitted former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and former assistant secretary Vinod Tomar in a sexual harassment case filed by women wrestlers. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwani Panwar on August 3 held that the prosecution had failed to prove charges beyond reasonable doubt, and described the allegations as false, fabricated, and part of a politically motivated conspiracy.
The court noted material contradictions in the complainants' versions, including discrepancies over the country and year of alleged incidents. It observed that the complainants continued cordial relations with Singh after the alleged events, inviting him to family functions and making no contemporaneous complaints. Two of the complainants turned hostile during the trial, stating they gave statements under pressure. The detailed judgment is not yet public. The wrestlers have said they will appeal against the verdict.
The Indian Opinion
The court's sharp language, calling the allegations 'rehearsed and planned', will deepen the divide between those who see a clean chit for a powerful politician and those who cite legal procedure. But the ruling rests on concrete findings: shifting timelines, no complaints filed on time, and normal social contact after the alleged incidents. The wrestlers now face a tough test: to prove in a higher court that the conduct described by the judge does not fit how sexual harassment victims often behave. Will their appeal bring new evidence that answers these specific contradictions?
Sources (3): news.abplive.com, indiatoday.in, livemint.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
