Women Wrestlers Challenge Brij Bhushan Acquittal in Court
Today, women wrestlers filed a court challenge against the acquittal of Brij Bhushan, alleging that an "ideal victim" standard was applied in the case.
Women wrestlers have moved court challenging the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, arguing that the judgment applied an "ideal victim" standard. The case stems from sexual harassment allegations made by several prominent wrestlers against Singh, who was a BJP MP at the time. The legal challenge comes after a Delhi court acquitted Singh, with the wrestlers contending that the verdict set unrealistic expectations for how victims should behave.
The women wrestlers who accused former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment have moved court challenging his acquittal, arguing that the trial court applied an "ideal victim" standard while evaluating their testimony. The legal challenge was filed on Saturday, the same day a Delhi court cleared the Bharatiya Janata Party MP of all charges in a case that had triggered a months-long protest by some of the country’s most decorated athletes at Jantar Mantar last year.
According to the petition, the judgment imposes unrealistic behavioural expectations on survivors of sexual assault, effectively requiring them to conform to a stereotypical notion of how a victim ought to react, resist, or report the crime. The wrestlers’ counsel contended that the court’s reasoning overlooked the power imbalance between the accused, who held administrative control over the sport, and the complainants, whose careers depended on his federation. The plea asserts that such a standard discourages reporting and fails to account for the trauma and institutional pressure that often delay disclosure.
The acquittal had concluded a high-profile prosecution that began after seven female wrestlers, including Olympic medallists, filed police complaints in 2023 alleging sexual harassment, intimidation, and criminal intimidation by Singh during his tenure as WFI president. The Delhi Police had filed a chargesheet against Singh in June 2023 under sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to sexual harassment, stalking, and criminal intimidation. The trial court, however, found the evidence insufficient to sustain a conviction, noting inconsistencies in the statements and the delay in filing formal complaints.
The wrestlers’ appeal signals that the legal battle will now shift to a higher forum, where the appellate bench will be asked to examine whether the trial court’s assessment of credibility relied on impermissible stereotypes. The outcome will be closely watched by sports administrators and rights groups alike, as it could set a precedent for how institutional power dynamics are weighed in sexual harassment cases involving athletes.
Indian Express