Court acquits former India wrestling chief of sexual harassment

• Brij Bhushan’s supporters shower him with flower petals.
• Vinesh Phogat announces plan to appeal verdict in higher court.
• Bhushan’s aide says court found “contradiction on major issues”.

A court in New Delhi acquitted the former head of the Indian wrestling federation on Monday of charges of sexual harassment and stalking brought by medal-winning athletes, his lawyer said.

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, 69, a former lawmaker from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had been accused by some women wrestlers of groping and demanding sexual favours, allegations that he denied.

The case triggered weeks of demonstrations in 2023 led by top wrestlers, including world championship winner Vinesh Phogat and Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, who demanded Singh’s removal as the head of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

Singh’s lawyer, Rajiv Mohan, said on Monday he had been “honourably acquitted”.

The court reached its verdict after finding “inconsistencies” in witness statements and “contradiction on major issues”, he told reporters.

Singh’s supporters set off firecrackers and showered him with flower petals while chanting slogans after the ruling.

“I had said that day that I would hang myself if found guilty,” Singh told reporters. “Today, I am walking free after being ‘honourably acquitted’.”

Phogat said they would appeal against the judgment to a higher court and “continue their fight” against Singh.

“It took a great deal of courage for us to take to the streets and get a (complaint) registered against a powerful leader of the ruling party,” she said on X.

Delhi police charged Singh in 2023 with sexually harassing and stalking women wrestlers after months of mounting pressure from protesting athletes.

The demonstrations drew widespread public attention, with leading wrestlers camping at a protest site in Delhi and accusing authorities of failing to act on their complaints.

Wrestling is hugely popular in rural northern India and images of Phogat and other athletes being detained as they tried to march to parliament during the protest went viral on social media.