A Delhi court reserved its verdict in the sexual harassment case against former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh after concluding final arguments. The Rouse Avenue Court will pronounce its judgment on August 3, deciding whether Singh will be convicted or acquitted of the allegations.
A Delhi court on Thursday reserved its verdict in the criminal case against former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing allegations of sexually harassing several women wrestlers. The case, which emerged after months of nationwide protests by India’s leading wrestlers, has become one of the country’s most closely watched legal proceedings involving allegations of misconduct against a senior political figure.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Ashwini Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Courts reserved the matter for judgment after hearing detailed final arguments from all parties. The court announced that its decision on whether Singh should be convicted or acquitted will be delivered on August 3.
The order came after the court concluded hearing submissions made by Senior Advocate Rebecca John, appearing for the complainant wrestlers, Advocate Rajiv Mohan, representing Singh, and the prosecutor appearing on behalf of the Delhi government.
The criminal proceedings stem from complaints lodged by six women wrestlers, who accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment during his tenure as the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). The allegations triggered widespread public outrage in 2023, leading to prolonged protests by several of India’s top wrestlers at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where they demanded Singh’s arrest and an independent investigation.
Following the complaints, the Delhi Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the former MP and initiated an investigation into the allegations.
After completing its probe, the police filed a chargesheet on June 15, 2023, accusing Singh of offences under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to outrage the modesty of a woman), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), and 506(1) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
After examining the investigation records and evidence collected by the police, the trial court, on May 10, 2024, concluded that there was sufficient material to proceed against Singh.
The court framed charges against him for offences under Sections 354 and 354A of the IPC, relating to outraging the modesty of women and sexual harassment, in connection with allegations made by five women wrestlers.
The court further held that there was adequate material to frame charges under Section 506(1) of the IPC for criminal intimidation in relation to complaints made by two of the wrestlers.
Apart from Singh, the court also framed charges against Vinod Tomar, the former Assistant Secretary of the Wrestling Federation of India. Tomar has been accused of criminal intimidation after allegedly threatening one of the complainants. The court found sufficient grounds to proceed against him under the relevant provisions of the IPC.
The controversy had initially included allegations made by a minor wrestler, leading to the registration of a separate case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
ALSO READ: Allahabad High Court Allows UP Govt’s Plea to Withdraw Case Against Brij Bhushan Singh
However, during the course of the investigation, the minor complainant withdrew her allegations. Consequently, the Delhi Police submitted a cancellation report before the court, stating that no further proceedings were warranted under the POCSO Act. The court later accepted the report, resulting in the closure of that case.
With the completion of final arguments, the criminal trial has now reached its concluding stage. The Rouse Avenue Court will pronounce its judgment on August 3, when it will determine whether the prosecution has proved the allegations beyond reasonable doubt or whether Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is entitled to an acquittal.
The verdict is expected to be significant not only for the parties involved but also in the broader context of accountability, workplace safety in sports administration, and the legal standards governing allegations of sexual harassment against public officials.
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE