Four wrestlers appeal acquittals of Singh and Tomar

Four women wrestlers have filed a challenge in a Delhi sessions court against the August 3 acquittals of former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and former federation assistant secretary Vinod Tomar. The appeal was listed for a hearing on Saturday, September 26, but no outcome has been reported. The wrestlers’ petition argues that the trial court applied what it called an “ideal victim” standard and relied on stereotypical expectations about how people who report sexual harassment should behave. The petitioners contend that the judgment assessed evidence selectively and treated factors such as delayed complaints, errors in recalling details and continued professional or personal contact with Singh as grounds to discredit the allegations. The challenge concerns a case brought by six women wrestlers. Singh was acquitted of charges including sexual harassment and outraging the modesty of a woman; Tomar was acquitted of criminal intimidation. The four appellants also contest Tomar’s acquittal on the intimidation charge. The available reports do not specify consistently what precise relief the petition seeks.