"Fight Will Continue": Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia to Challenge Brij Bhushan's Acquittal in Higher Court
Olympians Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia on Monday said that the women wrestlers who accused former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment would challenge the court's decision to acquit him, stressing that their fight for justice would continue.
The statement came shortly after Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Ashwani Panwar of Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a former BJP MP and WFI president, along with former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar in the case filed by six women wrestlers. The court's detailed order is yet to be released.
In a joint statement shared on social media platform X, Phogat and Punia said the complainants had already instructed their lawyers to file an appeal against the verdict.
"The women wrestlers have instructed their lawyers to appeal the verdict, and the appeal will be filed as soon as possible. We have not lost hope, and the wrestlers will continue their fight," the statement read.
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) August 3, 2026
The two wrestlers expressed disappointment over the verdict and said that the complainants had shown tremendous courage by filing a case against an influential public figure.
According to the statement, several athletes allegedly faced pressure and intimidation during the course of the proceedings. Despite the challenges, the wrestlers remained determined to pursue the case through legal channels.
"We are deeply disappointed that the court did not find Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh guilty of the sexual harassment allegations made by the women wrestlers," the statement said.
Phogat and Punia also alleged that powerful individuals and institutions had protected the former WFI chief during the investigation and trial.
The case stemmed from protests held at Delhi's Jantar Mantar in 2023, where a group of women wrestlers publicly levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan. Following the protests, the Delhi Police registered a first information report (FIR) and later submitted a chargesheet of nearly 1,500 pages against Brij Bhushan and Tomar. ALSO READ: Former WFI Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh Acquitted in Wrestlers' Sexual Harassment Case
The charges included allegations related to sexual harassment, stalking, criminal intimidation and abetment under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The complaints were filed by six women wrestlers, including Olympian Vinesh Phogat, who alleged that the incidents occurred during Brij Bhushan's tenure as the head of the Wrestling Federation of India.
Earlier this year, Phogat publicly revealed that she was among the complainants in the case. Before that, she had chosen not to disclose her identity because the matter was still being heard in court.
In a video posted on social media, she said that although the law protects the identity of victims, she had decided to speak openly about her role in the case because of the circumstances surrounding the proceedings.
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) May 3, 2026
