Brij Bhushan acquittal appeal hearing adjourned to Sept 28
The Rouse Avenue court has adjourned the hearing on the appeal against the acquittal of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The legal battle regarding the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar has faced a brief delay. The Rouse Avenue court on Saturday adjourned the hearing on the appeal challenging their acquittal in the sexual harassment case involving women wrestlers to September 28.
The matter was scheduled to be heard by Special Judge (MP-MLA Cases) Dig Vinay Singh; however, the proceedings could not take place as the judge was attending judicial training. The appeal is now set to be heard this coming Monday.
The Challenge Against the Acquittal
The current legal proceedings stem from a challenge mounted by four women wrestlers against the August 3 judgment delivered by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar. That previous ruling resulted in the acquittal of both Singh and Tomar.
In their appeal filed before the sessions court at Rouse Avenue, the wrestlers have raised several critical arguments against the lower court's decision:
- Legal Sustainability: The appellants contend that the acquittal judgment is legally unsustainable.
- Evidence Appreciation: They argue the decision was based on what they describe as a "manifestly erroneous and selective appreciation" of the evidence provided.
- Flawed Reasoning: The petition claims the order relies on "conjectures and surmises" rather than well-settled legal principles.
- Stereotypical Assumptions: A significant part of the appeal argues that the judgment relied on "archaic and stereotypical assumptions" regarding how victims of sexual assault are expected to behave, rather than conducting a fair, evidence-based assessment of the circumstances.
Background of the Case
The controversy began with complaints filed by women wrestlers against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh during his tenure as the head of the WFI. These allegations sparked massive protests by athletes at Delhi's Jantar Mantar in 2023, prompting a formal investigation by the Delhi Police.
The timeline of the legal proceedings includes several key milestones:
- June 2023: The Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against Singh and Tomar.
- May 2024: The court framed charges against Singh regarding allegations made by five complainants, though he was discharged in relation to one other complainant. Vinod Tomar faced charges of criminal intimidation regarding one complainant.
- August 3, 2024: Following the completion of the trial and in-camera proceedings, ACJM Ashwini Panwar pronounced the judgment of acquittal for both men.
The legal teams involved include senior advocate Rebecca John, representing the complainants, and advocate Rajiv Mohan, assisted by Rehan Khan and Rishabh Bhati, representing Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. All eyes now turn to the sessions court on September 28 to resume the hearing.