Archive · 9 Oct 2026
Court Gives Brij Bhushan Time to Answer Wrestlers’ Acquittal Appeal
A Delhi court is considering an appeal by four women wrestlers.
They want the acquittal of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case to be reconsidered.
The court gave Singh more time to respond and set October 28 for the next hearing.
Delhi Police has not yet decided whether it will file its own appeal.
The magistrate who acquitted Singh cited a lack of evidence and questioned parts of the complaints.
The wrestlers say the decision misread the evidence and relied on unfair ideas about how victims should behave.
The reports differ on how many people made complaints in the original case.
The judge said that arguments in the appeal will be held privately.
A Delhi court gave Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh time to respond to four women wrestlers’ appeal against his acquittal.
The court scheduled the next hearing for October 28 and said arguments would be held in camera.
Delhi Police has not decided whether to appeal and requested 15 days to inform the court.
A magistrate acquitted Singh and co-accused Vinod Tomar on August 3; the reports differ on the number of complainants, describing six women wrestlers in one and seven complainants, including a minor, in the other.
The wrestlers’ appeal says the acquittal misread evidence and relied on stereotypical assumptions; the magistrate’s order cited insufficient evidence and questioned aspects of the allegations.
- Who
- Former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and four women wrestlers appealing his acquittal; Vinod Tomar is also named in the proceedings.
- What
- A Delhi court granted Singh time to respond to the wrestlers’ appeal against his acquittal in a sexual harassment case.
- When
- The court acted on a Friday; the next hearing is set for October 28. The reports do not state the year.
- Where
- A Delhi court in India.
- Why
- The wrestlers challenge the acquittal, alleging errors in the assessment of evidence and the use of stereotypical assumptions.
Wrestlers’ Appeal
Magistrate’s Acquittal Order
Assessment of evidence
Wrestlers’ Appeal
The appeal says the acquittal relied on a manifestly erroneous and selective assessment of the evidence and was based on conjecture.
Magistrate’s Acquittal Order
The magistrate acquitted Singh, citing lack of evidence and pointing to inconsistencies in accounts of where and when alleged incidents occurred.
Treatment of complainants
Wrestlers’ Appeal
The wrestlers say the order applied an ‘ideal victim’ standard and relied on archaic, stereotypical assumptions about victims’ expected behaviour.
Magistrate’s Acquittal Order
The magistrate’s order questioned the complaints, describing them as apparently rehearsed or planted and noting that complainants had maintained cordial relations with Singh.
- Next hearing
- October 28
- Acquittal date
- August 3
- Appeal filed
- September 25, by four women wrestlers
- Delhi Police
- Has not decided whether to appeal; requested 15 days to inform the court.
- Co-accused
- Vinod Tomar, a former assistant secretary of the wrestling federation
- Original complainant count
- The reports differ: one says six women wrestlers; the other says seven complainants, including a minor.
- Appeal proceedings
- The judge said arguments will be held in camera.
