NEW DELHI: The appeal by four women wrestlers challenging the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case will now come up before a Delhi court on Monday after Saturday’s hearing was deferred.The matter was listed before Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh, but court staff said the judge was away for judicial training.The criminal appeal, filed on Friday, also challenges the acquittal of former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar on the criminal intimidation charge in the case.On Saturday, court staff said the matter would be taken up on Monday.On August 3 this year, the magisterial court acquitted former BJP MP and former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh in a sexual harassment case filed by six women wrestlers, including world championships medallist Vinesh Phogat, citing lack of evidence.The court also acquitted Tomar.In their plea, the wrestlers have contended that the acquittal was unsustainable in law and founded on a “manifestly erroneous and selective appreciation” of the evidence on record.The plea claimed that the judgment proceeded on conjectures and surmises and failed to apply binding and well-settled principles of law.It also said that a major portion of the magisterial court’s reasoning 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 after taking into account the victims’ circumstances.The case stems from allegations made by women wrestlers against Singh during his tenure as WFI chief. The allegations triggered protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in 2023 and led to a Delhi Police investigation.Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against Singh and Tomar in June 2023 in connection with the allegations.The appeal will now be heard by the sessions court on Monday.(With PTI inputs)
