A Delhi court on Monday, 3 August 2026, delivered a monumental judgment by acquitting former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and former BJP Member of Parliament Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, alongside former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar. The court cleared both individuals of all charges in the high-profile sexual harassment case filed by six women wrestlers. This verdict brings a definitive end to one of the most intense, heavily publicised, and politically charged legal battles in the history of Indian sports.

The saga, which dominated national news coverage and public discussion for over three years, originated from serious allegations of sexual harassment raised by several of India’s most decorated athletes, including Olympic medallists Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia. What started as an athlete demonstration quickly escalated into a months-long public protest, triggering direct Supreme Court intervention, the registration of two separate First Information Reports (FIRs), a parallel case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and a prolonged political standoff before ultimately reaching its conclusion with Singh's total acquittal.

Below is an exhaustive, chronological account detailing how this major controversy unfolded from its inception to the final judicial outcome.

January 2023: Prominent Indian Athletes Launch Public Protest Against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

The public legal battle officially began on 18 January 2023, when elite Olympic and Commonwealth Games medal-winning wrestlers, notably Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, gathered to initiate an open sit-in demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

During this initial demonstration, the protesting athletes publicly accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of committing acts of sexual harassment against female wrestlers throughout his tenure as the president of the Wrestling Federation of India. In addition to the allegations of sexual misconduct, the wrestlers cited widespread intimidation, arbitrary operational decisions, and systematic abuse of authority within the sports body. To address these issues, the protesting athletes put forward three primary demands: the immediate criminal arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, his complete removal from the post of WFI president, and the total dissolution of the federation's existing leadership committee.

These grave allegations rapidly captured national media attention, transforming the sit-in into a central point of discussion across the country.

Union Sports Ministry Establishes an Official Oversight Committee

In response to the growing public attention and following multiple official meetings between the protesting athletes and then-Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, the Union Sports Ministry intervened. On 23 January 2023, the ministry formally constituted a five-member Oversight Committee led by legendary Olympic boxer M.C. Mary Kom. This committee was assigned a dual mandate: to conduct a thorough investigation into the sexual harassment allegations and to temporarily manage the day-to-day administrative operations of the Wrestling Federation of India.

Based on the official assurances provided by the government and the creation of this investigative panel, the wrestlers agreed to temporarily suspend their public demonstration.

However, once the committee concluded its inquiry and submitted its official report to the ministry, the protesting wrestlers expressed strong dissatisfaction. They stated publicly that no meaningful administrative or legal action had been taken against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing the authorities of deliberately stalling the process and failing to deliver prompt justice.

April 2023: Demonstrations Resume as Complainants Approach the Supreme Court of India

Frustrated by the perceived lack of progress, six adult female wrestlers went to Delhi’s Connaught Place Police Station in April 2023 to file formal criminal complaints against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. This step marked the beginning of a second, more intense phase of protests at Jantar Mantar.

When the Delhi Police did not immediately register a First Information Report based on their complaints, the wrestlers filed a petition directly with the Supreme Court of India, seeking judicial intervention to force law enforcement to act. During the subsequent proceedings before the highest court, representatives for the Delhi Police formally informed the bench that the police department would proceed with registering official criminal cases.

Registration of Two Separate First Information Reports (FIRs)

On 28 April 2023, the Delhi Police officially registered two separate FIRs against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh:

• First FIR: This case encompassed the detailed allegations made by the six adult women wrestlers. It was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code dealing with sexual harassment, assault or use of criminal force with intent to outrage the modesty of a woman, stalking, and criminal intimidation.
• Second FIR: This case invoked the stringent provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, following allegations made by a minor female wrestler.

The inclusion of the POCSO Act dramatically increased the severity of the legal situation, as offences falling under this legislation carry strict non-bailable terms and severe statutory penalties.

Agitation Reaches Peak Intensity and International Visibility

Over the following weeks, the public protest intensified significantly.

A major confrontation occurred on 28 May 2023, when the protesting wrestlers organized a march toward the newly inaugurated Parliament building. Law enforcement officers intervened, physically blocking and detaining the athletes. Photographs and video footage showing Olympic medallists being forcibly moved and dragged away by police officers circulated widely across global news platforms, drawing sharp criticism from various national and international sports organizations.

A few days after this incident, the wrestlers traveled to the holy city of Haridwar, declaring their intention to submerge their Olympic and international championship medals into the Ganga River as a sign of protest against the government's response. This action was stayed following direct intervention by prominent farmer leader Naresh Tikait. Subsequent high-level discussions between the athlete representatives and senior Union ministers eventually led to a formal suspension of the street protests.

June 2023: Delhi Police File Official Chargesheet and POCSO Closure Report

Following their investigation, the Delhi Police submitted a comprehensive chargesheet to the Delhi court on 15 June 2023 regarding the complaints filed by the six adult women wrestlers.

In this document, law enforcement formally charged Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh with offences related to sexual harassment, outraging the modesty of women, and stalking under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Concurrently, the police submitted a formal closure report regarding the second FIR under the POCSO Act involving the minor wrestler. The submission stated that law enforcement investigations yielded no corroborating evidence to warrant criminal prosecution, particularly after the minor complainant and her father officially withdrew their initial allegations during recorded statements.

July 2023 – May 2026: Trial Proceedings Conducted in Delhi Court

The trial process moved forward through several key legal stages:

1. Cognisance and Framing of Charges: The Delhi court took formal cognisance of the police chargesheet in July 2023. In May 2024, the court officially framed charges against both Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges and formally requested a full trial.
2. Evidentiary Phase: Over the course of the trial, the prosecution presented its case by examining a total of 32 witnesses. The prosecution officially closed its evidentiary phase in May 2026.
3. Final Statements and Arguments: The court recorded the official statements of the accused individuals under the Code of Criminal Procedure in June 2026. Following this, both the prosecution and defense concluded their final oral arguments on 2 July 2026.

May 2025: Court Formally Closes the POCSO Case

In May 2025, the Delhi court reviewed and formally accepted the closure report previously submitted by the Delhi Police concerning the minor wrestler's POCSO case, legally terminating those specific proceedings.

Early 2026: Vinesh Phogat Publicly Discloses Complainant Status

In the early months of 2026, Olympian Vinesh Phogat publicly revealed that she was one of the six original adult complainants who had filed charges against the former WFI president.

In a video message shared publicly, she explained that she had deliberately kept her identity private during the initial legal proceedings in order to adhere strictly to Supreme Court directives regarding the protection of legal complainants in sexual misconduct cases.

During this message, Phogat also asserted that although Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh no longer held an official executive title within the Wrestling Federation of India, he continued to exert considerable informal influence over its internal decisions. She raised specific objections regarding the federation's choice to conduct official national ranking tournaments at an educational institution owned by Singh in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, arguing that such decisions created an unfavorable environment for athletes preparing for the 2026 Asian Games.

August 2026: Delhi Court Acquits Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar

On 3 August 2026, the Delhi court delivered its final verdict, fully acquitting both Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar of all criminal charges stemming from the complaints filed by the six adult female wrestlers.

This ruling formally concluded the multi-year criminal proceedings that had reshaped Indian sports governance.

Following the announcement of the verdict, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh spoke to the press, reinforcing his long-held stance of innocence throughout the trial.

“I said on the very first day that if the allegations are true, I will hang myself. I am very happy that I have been acquitted today. It is good news for me and good news for my supporters. I cannot say anything more than that,” he stated.

The Broader Impact on Indian Wrestling and Administrative Governance

The legal battle surrounding Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh fundamentally altered the administrative and social landscape of Indian wrestling. The extended dispute disrupted the functional operations of the Wrestling Federation of India for months, required repeated direct interventions by the Union Sports Ministry, brought international regulatory oversight to domestic sports administration, and remained a central political discussion point across the country.

While the widespread athlete demonstrations brought significant national attention to issues of safety, governance, and institutional accountability within sports federations, the trial's conclusion highlights a central rule of criminal law: regardless of public attention or the severity of accusations, criminal charges must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. With the court's verdict on Monday, 3 August 2026, the judicial proceedings regarding the six adult wrestlers have ended, though the administrative and political discussions surrounding the case remain impactful.