Indian court acquits former wrestling body chief in sexual harassment case

NEW DELHI, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- An Indian court on Monday acquitted former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case filed by six female wrestlers, officials said.

According to officials, a lower court in New Delhi acquitted Singh and co-accused Vinod Tomar, then assistant secretary of the WFI, of the charges.

"Today, the court has acquitted me and used the term 'honourably acquitted.' What's done is done," Singh told local television news channel NDTV after his acquittal.

The case concerned allegations of sexual harassment made against Singh in January 2023 by a group of Olympic and international wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia.

Based on the complaints, Delhi Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Singh.

The trial court framed charges against Singh in May 2024, but he consistently denied the allegations.

"The female wrestlers have instructed their lawyers to appeal this decision, and this will be done as soon as possible. We have not lost hope, and the wrestlers will continue their fight," Phogat in a statement posted on social media said.

"We are deeply saddened that the court did not find Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh guilty of the sexual assault charges levelled by the female wrestlers," she noted. ■