Brij Bhushan case closed: Delhi court drops POCSO charges

Delhi court accepts police closure report in POCSO case against Brij Bhushan Singh.

Transcript

00:00100 SUVs, 10,000 supporters, that's Bridge Bhushan Sharan Singh celebrating his legal win.

00:06On 27th May, a Delhi court officially accepted the police's closure report in the sexual harassment

00:11case filed by a minor wrestler against the former Wrestling Federation of India chief.

00:17The move brings a formal end to the case that had seen major controversy, protests and upheaval in

00:22India's wrestling community. The police submitted a 550-page report in June 2023,

00:27saying they found no corroborative evidence. The minor and her father told the court

00:32that they had no objections to the closure.

00:39In 2023, some of India's biggest wrestling stars, Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik, Badrung Punya and

00:44world champion Vinesh Fogart sat on the streets demanding justice. They alleged Bridge Bhushan

00:49molested and groped female athletes, including touching their breasts, talking and inappropriate

00:54touching during training. Seven wrestlers, including the minor, came forward.

01:03They were detained as they tried to march to parliament. Footage of them being dragged away

01:07by police went viral, sparking outrage across the country and beyond. Even the International

01:12Olympic Committee condemned the way Indian athletes were being treated. They demanded an independent and

01:17fair inquiry into the allegations. Singh, a powerful former BJP MP and ex-wrestling

01:22federation chief, called the charges politically motivated, but the pressure worked. He was removed

01:27from his post as WFI president. Though one case is now close, six other women wrestlers are still

01:33fighting for justice. Singh continues to face trial in a separate sexual harassment and stalking case.

01:39The protests didn't just shake Indian sport, they seem to have sparked a political shift too.

01:44Wrestler Vinesh Fogart, who led the charge on the ground, has now entered politics, contesting

01:49from Hisar on a Congress ticket in the 2024 elections. But beyond the courts and campaigns,

01:54the larger question remains, what happens to the young girls who dream of becoming wrestlers?

01:59What has changed in terms of safety, grievance to wrestle and accountability in Indian sports?