Delhi court issues notice on women wrestlers’ appeal against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s acquittal

A Delhi court on Monday (September 28, 2026) issued notice on an appeal by four women wrestlers challenging a magistrate’s acquittal of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case. The appeal also contests the acquittal of former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar on a charge of criminal intimidation.

The criminal appeal was filed on Friday (September 25, 2026). On August 3, 2026, a magisterial court acquitted Mr. Singh in the sexual harassment case brought by six women wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, citing lack of evidence; the magisterial court also acquitted Mr. Tomar. Mr. Singh is a former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India and a former BJP MP.

Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh issued notice to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Vinod Tomar and the State in the criminal appeal. The court formally recorded the challenge to the earlier magistrate’s verdict and set the matter for further consideration.

In their appeal, the wrestlers argued that the magisterial court’s acquittal was "unsustainable in law and was founded on a 'manifestly erroneous and selective appreciation' of the evidence on record." The plea stated the judgment "proceeded on conjectures and surmises, and 'failed to apply binding and well-settled principles of law'." The appeal asks the higher court to reassess the evidence relied upon by the magistrate.

The wrestlers' petition further contended that a major portion of the magisterial court’s judgment "rested on archaic and stereotypical assumptions about the expected behaviour of victims of sexual assault and harassment, instead of a fair and evidence-based assessment that took the victims’ circumstances into account," the plea said. The document frames those points as central grounds for overturning the acquittals.

The matter has been posted for further proceedings on October 9, 2026.