Women's groups, feminists hail wrestlers' courage, vow to continue fight after Brij Bhushan acquittal

By A Representative 

In a powerful show of solidarity, more than 250 prominent feminists and members of women's organisations across India have condemned the acquittal of former BJP MP and ex-Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in the high-profile sexual harassment case filed by six women wrestlers. The signatories have expressed unwavering support for the wrestlers who have waged a courageous legal battle for justice against formidable odds.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Court delivered the judgment on Monday, acquitting Singh and co-accused Vinod Tomar, former WFI assistant secretary. The proceedings were conducted in-camera. The court had reserved its verdict on July 2 after the completion of final arguments.

The case arose from allegations made by six women wrestlers, including Olympian Vinesh Phogat, who accused Singh of sexually harassing them during his tenure as WFI chief between 2016 and 2019. The Delhi Police had filed a chargesheet in June 2023 invoking provisions of the Indian Penal Code relating to sexual harassment, outraging the modesty of a woman, stalking, and criminal intimidation. Over the course of the trial, the prosecution examined 32 witnesses before concluding its evidence in May 2026.

Wrestlers' Long Struggle for Justice

The legal battle followed a prolonged and historic protest by some of India's leading wrestlers at Delhi's Jantar Mantar in 2023. Led by Olympic and international medallists including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, the demonstrations demanded Singh's arrest and his removal from the Wrestling Federation of India.

The wrestlers were forced to make numerous representations before various committees and held meetings with the Union Sports Minister and IOA officials, but these efforts resulted in attempts to silence the complainants rather than address their grievances, the statement noted. The FIRs were finally lodged in April 2023 on the intervention of the Supreme Court, following the public pressure created by the wrestlers' dharna.

Two FIRs were registered — one based on complaints from six adult women wrestlers and another under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act following allegations by a minor wrestler. While the police filed a chargesheet in the adult case, they submitted a closure report in the POCSO case, which the court accepted in May 2025.

The controversy had significant political ramifications. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP did not field Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh from the Kaiserganj parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Instead, the party nominated his son, Karan Bhushan Singh, who went on to win the seat.

Legal Team's Efforts

The statement -- issued by Joint Initiative of Women's Rights Activists -- hailed the legal team led by Senior Advocate Rebecca John, who represented four of the six complainants. "The entire period of trial which lasted more than two years saw a legal team led by Sr. Adv Rebecca John who left no stone unturned in eliciting sound testimonies from the violated wrestlers and presenting powerful arguments to the court," the signatories said.

John described the acquittal as "deeply, deeply disturbing," noting that the four complainant witnesses had made powerful testimonies before the court, corroborated by other witnesses. She expressed surprise at the defence's claim that the court had accepted arguments regarding "inconsistencies, contradictions, improbability and grounds of alibi," pointing out that the reasoned order was not yet available when those claims were made.

Reactions

Vinesh Phogat expressed deep disappointment over the verdict, stating: "We are deeply saddened that the court did not find Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh guilty of the sexual harassment allegations brought by the women wrestlers". She alleged that "the entire state machinery, the government, and the system have been working to protect Brij Bhushan" since the beginning of the case. Phogat confirmed that the wrestlers have instructed their lawyers to appeal against the verdict.

Singh, however, welcomed the acquittal, calling it an "honourable" acquittal. "On the first day, I had said that if any allegation against me was proved, I would hang myself. The court has now honourably acquitted me. I am happy and grateful to my lawyers," he told reporters outside the court.

Demand for POSH Implementation

In their statement, the women's organisations and individual feminists have demanded the implementation of the POSH Act in the sports arena and the creation of a safe playing field for all, free of political interference and the crass use of money and muscle power.

"The struggle of the last three and a half years has also initiated awareness within the sports arena, where POSH and its predecessor Vishakha Guidelines which had remained unimplemented, were brought in under Supreme Court directives," the statement noted.

"We demand that POSH be implemented in the sports arena and that sportspeople who raise complaints are protected, instead of being penalised and silenced. We demand that a safe playing field be created for all, free of political interference and the crass use of money and muscle power."

The signatories include senior lawyer Indira Jaising, academician Uma Chakravarti, social activist Aruna Roy, Shabnam Hashmi, PUCL India President Kavita Srivastava, Kalyani Menon Sen, Urvashi Butalia, Sujata Gothoskar, Teesta Setalvad, Mallika Sarabhai, Jagmati Sangwan, Annie Raja and Nisha Sidhu of National Federation of Indian Women, Maimoona Mollah of AIDWA, Lalita Ramdas, Syeeda Hameed, Meena Saraswati Seshu, transparency activist Anjali Bharadwaj, lawyer Lara Jesani, Govind Kelkar, academic Shilpa Phadke, and journalists Rituparna Chatterjee and Laxmi Murthy.