In a significant development, the Delhi High Court on Thursday provided crucial clarification regarding the ongoing legal proceedings against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and ex-BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The court explicitly stated that there is no stay on the trial court proceedings in the sexual harassment case filed by several women wrestlers.
Court Adjourns Plea to April
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma made this important remark while adjourning Singh's petition seeking the quashing of the FIR and charges framed against him. The matter has been listed for hearing in April after Singh's counsel requested an adjournment, citing the unavailability of the main arguing lawyer.
Judicial Scrutiny of Delay
During the proceedings, Justice Sharma questioned the delay in arguments, directly asking the petitioner's counsel why the plea had not been argued even once since its filing. "Why are you not arguing this? Since you have filed it, this matter was not argued even once," the judge inquired pointedly.
The lawyer representing Singh assured the bench that the petition would be properly argued at the next hearing. In response, Justice Sharma reiterated the court's position clearly: "There is no stay… It is clarified there is no stay of proceedings before the trial court."
Background of the Legal Battle
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh approached the Delhi High Court in 2024 with serious allegations regarding his prosecution. In his plea, he claimed that he had been falsely implicated in the case and that the investigation conducted against him was fundamentally biased.
The former wrestling federation chief argued that the probe relied solely on the statements of the complainants, whom he alleged were motivated by revenge rather than genuine grievance. He further contended that the chargesheet was filed without proper scrutiny of evidence or due process.
Charges Framed by Trial Court
On May 21, 2024, the trial court had formally framed serious charges against Singh, including:
- Sexual harassment
- Criminal intimidation
- Outraging the modesty of women
The court also framed a charge of criminal intimidation against co-accused Vinod Tomar, who served as the former assistant secretary of the Wrestling Federation of India. This legal action followed the registration of an FIR in May 2023, which occurred after the Supreme Court intervened in the matter, highlighting the seriousness with which the judiciary has approached these allegations.
Procedural Directions
In addition to adjourning the matter and clarifying the status of the trial court proceedings, Justice Sharma issued specific procedural directions. The court ordered that the complete trial court record be placed before it on the next date of hearing, ensuring that the High Court would have full access to all relevant documents and proceedings when the matter is taken up again in April.
This development marks another chapter in the high-profile case that has drawn national attention to issues of athlete safety, institutional accountability, and the legal processes surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct in sports administration. The clarification from the Delhi High Court ensures that the trial proceedings will continue without interruption while Singh's challenge to the charges is examined separately.
