Brij Bhushan's Acquittal Appeal Hearing Adjourned To September 28

The Rouse Avenue court on Saturday adjourned to September 28 the hearing on an appeal challenging the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar in the sexual harassment case involving women wrestlers.

The matter was listed before Special Judge (MP-MLA Cases) Dig Vinay Singh, who was on judicial training on Saturday. The appeal will now come up for hearing on Monday.

Four women wrestlers have challenged the August 3 judgment of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar, which acquitted Singh and Tomar in the case. The appeal has been filed before the sessions court at Rouse Avenue.

The wrestlers have contended that the acquittal judgment is legally unsustainable and is based on what they describe as a "manifestly erroneous and selective appreciation of the evidence on record".

The appeal further contends that the impugned order proceeds on "conjectures and surmises" and fails to apply binding and well-settled principles of law.

The petition also argues that the judgment, in material parts, rests on what the appellants describe as "archaic and stereotypical assumptions" about the "expected" behaviour of victims of sexual assault and harassment, instead of a fair and evidence-based assessment taking into account the circumstances of the complainants.

The case relates to complaints filed by women wrestlers against Singh during his tenure as WFI chief. The allegations had led to protests by wrestlers at Delhi's Jantar Mantar in 2023 and a subsequent investigation by the Delhi Police.

The Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against Singh and Tomar in June 2023. In May 2024, the court framed charges against Singh in relation to allegations made by five complainants, while he was discharged in connection with the complaint of another woman wrestler. Tomar was charged with criminal intimidation in connection with one complainant.

On August 3, the Rouse Avenue court acquitted Singh and Tomar after completion of the trial. The judgment was pronounced by ACJM Ashwini Panwar following in-camera proceedings.

Senior advocate Rebecca John appeared for the victims/complainants, while advocate Rajiv Mohan, assisted by Rehan Khan and Rishabh Bhati, represented Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The appeal will now be taken up before the Sessions Court on September 28.

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