Despite POCSO case win, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's legal battle far from over

Even as jubilant reactions emerged from the family of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh after a Delhi court dropped the POCSO case against him, the BJP leader still faces trial in the sexual harassment case lodged against him by five more women wrestlers.

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The POCSO case, which was based on allegations by a female wrestler who was a minor at the time, was formally closed by Additional Sessions Judge Gomti Manocha at Patiala House Court. The decision followed the complainant's withdrawal of her accusation and the admission by her father that the complaint had been filed falsely in protest over perceived unfair treatment of his daughter.

Singh, a former MP, welcomed the ruling, saying, “I had a lot of trust in Lord Hanuman and myself... I am very happy.” His son and newly elected MP from Kaiserganj, Prateek Bhushan Singh, also responded with triumph: “We have achieved a judicial victory in a false and fabricated case... This is the victory of truth – and this victory will continue!”

Six women wrestlers had submitted a complaint of sexual harassment at the Connaught Place police station in Delhi against the then WFI chief on April 21, 2023. The police, though late, after the Supreme Court's intervention, registered two FIRs on April 28.

The first FIR pertained to allegations leveled by a minor that was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act along with relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code concerning outraging modesty. The second one was registered over complaints by adult wrestlers also pertained to outraging modesty.

As the police continued investigating the case, parallelly, India's top wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and double World Championships medallist Vinesh Phogat, sat on a protest at the Jantar Mantar from April 23 and ended their agitation 44 days later on June 7 after Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur held talks with them and assured that a chargesheet be soon filed in the case.

However, in what could be termed as a major twist within a couple of months after registration of the case, the father of the minor wrestler came forward and claimed that he had lodged a 'false' complaint of sexual harassment following latter's impartial treatment towards his daughter as she had failed to qualify for the final trials in 2022 of the Asian Championship.

On June 15, 2023, the Delhi Police filed a 1082-page chargesheet and also submitted a cancellation report in the POCSO case that was lodged on the complaint of a 17-year-old wrestler against Singh.

During an in-camera hearing held on August 1, 2023, the minor wrestler told the Court that she was content with the police investigation and did not wish to pursue the matter further. It was this cancellation report filed by the police in June, 2023 which was on Monday accepted by the Court.

Meanwhile, in the case filed by five adult wrestlers, the court last year framed charges against Singh, to which he pleaded “not guilty.” While the case still continues, Singh has continuously denied the accusations leveled against him and termed them as a conspiracy to malign his image.