The Crossbill News Desk
A Delhi court on Monday, May 26, accepted the cancellation report filed in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
However, he continues to face charges in a separate sexual harassment case lodged by five women wrestlers.
The matter was heard by Additional Sessions Judge Gomati Manocha at Delhi’s Patiala House Court. With the court formally disposing of the POCSO case, its status now reads “cancelled” and “case disposed,” as reported by Live Law.
The development marks a partial conclusion to a case that had drawn national attention and led to large-scale protests demanding justice for the athletes.
The POCSO case stemmed from one of two FIRs filed against Singh on June 15, 2023, at Connaught Place police station.
The first FIR, filed by a minor wrestler, had invoked provisions under the POCSO Act, while the second was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code based on allegations by adult women wrestlers. The minor later retracted her allegations and, according to The Economic Times, informed the court in a closed-door hearing that she was satisfied with the investigation conducted by the Delhi Police and had no objection to the case's closure.
Reacting to the court’s decision, Singh’s younger son Karan Bhushan Singh took to social media platform X, stating, “This is a decisive victory of justice and truth! Truth can be troubled, but not defeated. Long live the judiciary, long live Netaji!”
His elder son, Prateek Bhushan Singh, also wrote on X. “We have achieved a judicial victory in a false and fabricated case. Every baseless allegation is now being brought to justice. This is a victory for truth — and this victory will continue,” he said.
Despite the closure of the POCSO case, Singh remains on trial for alleged sexual harassment of five female wrestlers. The charges pertain to incidents that reportedly occurred between 2016 and 2019 at the WFI office, Singh’s official residence, and other locations.
The FIRs were filed following a public outcry and sustained protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar led by renowned wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia. The protests eventually prompted the Supreme Court to intervene, leading to the registration of the cases.
Singh, a six-time MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaiserganj constituency, has denied all allegations. He has also challenged the FIRs, chargesheet, and trial proceedings in the Delhi High Court, where the matter remains pending.
However, he continues to face charges in a separate sexual harassment case lodged by five women wrestlers.
The matter was heard by Additional Sessions Judge Gomati Manocha at Delhi’s Patiala House Court. With the court formally disposing of the POCSO case, its status now reads “cancelled” and “case disposed,” as reported by Live Law.
The development marks a partial conclusion to a case that had drawn national attention and led to large-scale protests demanding justice for the athletes.
The POCSO case stemmed from one of two FIRs filed against Singh on June 15, 2023, at Connaught Place police station.
The first FIR, filed by a minor wrestler, had invoked provisions under the POCSO Act, while the second was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code based on allegations by adult women wrestlers. The minor later retracted her allegations and, according to The Economic Times, informed the court in a closed-door hearing that she was satisfied with the investigation conducted by the Delhi Police and had no objection to the case's closure.
Reacting to the court’s decision, Singh’s younger son Karan Bhushan Singh took to social media platform X, stating, “This is a decisive victory of justice and truth! Truth can be troubled, but not defeated. Long live the judiciary, long live Netaji!”
His elder son, Prateek Bhushan Singh, also wrote on X. “We have achieved a judicial victory in a false and fabricated case. Every baseless allegation is now being brought to justice. This is a victory for truth — and this victory will continue,” he said.
Despite the closure of the POCSO case, Singh remains on trial for alleged sexual harassment of five female wrestlers. The charges pertain to incidents that reportedly occurred between 2016 and 2019 at the WFI office, Singh’s official residence, and other locations.
The FIRs were filed following a public outcry and sustained protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar led by renowned wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia. The protests eventually prompted the Supreme Court to intervene, leading to the registration of the cases.
Singh, a six-time MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaiserganj constituency, has denied all allegations. He has also challenged the FIRs, chargesheet, and trial proceedings in the Delhi High Court, where the matter remains pending.
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