Former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh Photo | IANS
India

Delhi court issues notice on women wrestlers’ plea challenging Brij Bhushan's acquittal

The criminal appeal filed on September 25 has also assailed the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) assistant secretary Vinod Tomar of the criminal intimidation charge in the case.

TNIE online desk

A Delhi court on Monday issued notice on an appeal filed by four women wrestlers challenging the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case.

The criminal appeal filed on September 25 has also assailed the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) assistant secretary Vinod Tomar of the criminal intimidation charge in the case.

Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh issued notice to Singh, Tomar and the state.

The matter has been posted for further proceedings on October 9.

On August 3 this year, the magisterial court acquitted former BJP MP and former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh in the sexual harassment case filed by six women wrestlers, including world championships medallist Vinesh Phogat, citing lack of evidence.

The court also acquitted Tomar.

According to wrestlers' plea filed on Friday, the acquittal was unsustainable in law, was founded on a "manifestly erroneous and selective appreciation" of the evidence on record, proceeded on conjectures and surmises, and "failed to apply binding and well-settled principles of law".

The plea claimed that a major portion of the magisterial court's judgment rested its reasoning 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.

(With Inputs from PTI)

Delhi’s women’s safety net full of gaps despite audits, budgets and emergency systems

LPU students protest: NH-44 traffic restored after 15-hour blockade, situation under control

Two-year-old girl dies after 10-hour borewell rescue operation in Faridabad

Long arm of law: TN cop clings to car roof for 30 km to nab gutkha gang

Shakti scheme hits BMTC hard, no salaries this month: Union