A New Delhi court acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former chief of India’s Wrestling Federation, in a sexual harassment and stalking case on Monday, August 3, 2026. The case, initiated in 2024, involved allegations from five women accusing Singh of groping and demanding sexual favors, charges he denied.
Singh, a 69-year-old former politician affiliated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), completed his political term in 2024 and was not re-nominated; however, his son subsequently won the constituency seat.
The court cited “inconsistencies” in witness statements and “contradictions on major issues” as reasons for the acquittal. Singh expressed confidence in the justice system, stating outside the Rouse Avenue Court, “I had complete faith that justice would be done … justice was done. I never considered myself a criminal at all.” His lawyer, Rajiv Mohan, described the verdict as an “honourable acquittal.”
The case had sparked weeks of demonstrations in 2023 led by prominent female wrestlers, including world champion Vinesh Phogat and Olympic bronze medalist Sakshi Malik, who demanded Singh’s removal from the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
Despite the acquittal, the women wrestlers have vowed to appeal the verdict.
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