A New Delhi court acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former head of India’s wrestling federation, of sexual harassment charges brought by female wrestlers, three years after the allegations sparked widespread protests.

In 2024, Singh was formally charged with sexually harassing five female wrestlers and committing the offense of outraging their modesty. The accusations led to significant public demonstrations, including a sit-in protest in New Delhi in 2023, in which prominent athletes participated. Among the protesters were Indian Olympic wrestling star Vinesh Phogat and Olympic medalists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia. The unrest prompted Punia to return one of India’s highest civilian awards, while Malik announced her retirement from wrestling in protest.

Following the court’s decision, Singh expressed confidence in the judicial process, saying, "I had complete faith that justice would be done... justice was done."

Despite the acquittal, the wrestlers plan to challenge the verdict, with Phogat stating, "We have not lost hope, and the wrestlers will continue their fight."

Singh held a senior position as a member of parliament representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the time when the allegations emerged. He completed his parliamentary term in 2024 but was not renominated by the BJP. Instead, the party nominated Singh’s son for the same constituency, who subsequently won the election.