Wrestlers’ Protest: A Timeline of the Movement in India
Wrestlers' protest timeline, 2023-2026: allegations against Brij Bhushan, FIRs, chargesheet, the Aug 2026 acquittal and the pending appeal, sourced.
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The wrestlers’ protest began on 18 January 2023, when Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia led a sit-in at Jantar Mantar over allegations that Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh sexually harassed women wrestlers. He denied them. FIRs, a chargesheet, a trial and, on 3 August 2026, an acquittal followed. The complainants have appealed. As of 2 November 2026, nobody has been convicted.
💡 Short Answer
Wrestlers accused WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment in January 2023. Police registered FIRs on 28 April 2023 after a Supreme Court petition and filed a chargesheet on 15 June. A Delhi court acquitted him on 3 August 2026; reports of the judgment say it called the allegations fabricated. Four complainants have appealed. A separate POCSO case was closed in 2025. The WFI was suspended and later restored.
Wrestlers’ Protest: Key Questions
The Wrestlers’ Protest in Nine Points
- The accused: WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who denied all allegations.
- The protest: began 18 January 2023; resumed 23 April; ended in June.
- The FIRs: two, registered 28 April 2023 after the Supreme Court issued notice.
- The police action: wrestlers detained on 28 May 2023 and the site cleared.
- The chargesheet: 15 June 2023; plus a closure report in the POCSO case.
- The federation: suspended by UWW and by the ministry, then restored.
- The athletes: one retired, one banned, one entered politics and plans a comeback.
- The verdict: acquittal on 3 August 2026, under appeal.
- The law: a National Sports Governance Act was passed in August 2025.
Where the case stands
- Trial court: Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar were acquitted on 3 August 2026. The court held the charges were not proved beyond reasonable doubt.
- Appeal: four complainants appealed on 25 September 2026. Notice issued 28 September; Singh was given a final chance to reply on 28 October. One report lists the next hearing as 20 November 2026.
- POCSO case: closed on 26 May 2025 after the court accepted the police cancellation report. We found no report of a challenge.
- WFI: suspension revoked in March 2025; Sanjay Singh remains president as far as our sources show.
- Convictions: none.
The story in six pictures
Background: The Federation, the President and the Athletes
Who they are, and what is allegation and what is fact.
What the WFI is
The Wrestling Federation of India is the national governing body for wrestling. It picks Indian teams, runs national championships and distributes funds. It is recognised by the Sports Ministry as a national sports federation, affiliated to the Indian Olympic Association and to the world body, United World Wrestling (UWW). Its president is elected by representatives of the state wrestling associations.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a BJP politician and six-time Lok Sabha member from Kaiserganj in Uttar Pradesh, became WFI president in 2011 and led it for about 12 years. He holds a long record in Uttar Pradesh politics and, until the protest, held considerable influence over Indian wrestling. He has denied every allegation made against him.
The athletes
Vinesh Phogat won Commonwealth Games gold in 2014, 2018 and 2022 and Asian Games gold in 2018. Sakshi Malik won bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics, the first Indian woman to win an Olympic wrestling medal. Bajrang Punia won bronze at Tokyo 2020. Others who joined the protest included Sangeeta Phogat, Sarita Mor and Satyawart Kadian. They are among the most decorated athletes in Indian sport. For the wider story of Indian sport at that level, see our Commonwealth Games and India timeline.
Allegation or fact?
The wrestlers alleged sexual harassment, intimidation and abuse of authority. Those were allegations when the protest began. A trial court has since heard evidence and acquitted the accused; the complainants have appealed. Neither the original allegations nor the acquittal is a final legal finding until the appeal is decided. We did not find documented formal complaints of this kind against the WFI before January 2023 in the sources reviewed.
Why safeguarding matters
Athletes depend on federations for selection, funding and travel, which gives administrators power over their careers. That is why safeguarding rules in sport usually require independent complaint channels and protections for minors. For other Indian cases on safety, justice and institutional response, see the Nirbhaya case timeline and the Ankita Bhandari case timeline.
Why the Wrestlers Protested
The demands, and which were met.
The 18 January 2023 sit-in began with allegations against the federation’s president and its coaches, and with a set of demands that grew as the weeks passed.
- An investigation into the harassment allegations and an FIR against the WFI chief.
- Accountability for the federation’s leadership, including Brij Bhushan’s removal from office.
- Independent, transparent governance of the federation.
- A functioning complaints mechanism and safe training and competition environments, especially for women.
- Athlete representation in sports administration.
Which of these were met is shown in Infographic 4 below.
Wrestlers’ Protest Timeline, 2011 to 2026, Latest First
Entries are colour-coded by track. Dates follow court records and press reports, and we say where they differ.
Brij Bhushan is named to the BJP’s Uttar Pradesh executive Athletes and politics
What happened: The Wire, citing The Indian Express, reported that Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was placed on the BJP’s Uttar Pradesh state executive committee, created on 26 October by state president Pankaj Chaudhary. The Express called it the first time he has been on the party’s top panel in the state.
What an aide said: A close aide told the paper he ‘will certainly contest the 2029 election’ and that ‘everyone in the BJP believed he was innocent’. The reports carry no response from the wrestlers.
Status: The appointment is a party decision. It does not affect the pending appeal.
Court gives Brij Bhushan a ‘final opportunity’ to reply to the appeal Police and courts
What happened: On 9 October the court had allowed Brij Bhushan time to file his reply. On 28 October it granted what ANI called a last and final opportunity, giving him a week and making clear no further time would be allowed. One report lists the next hearing as 20 November 2026.
Status: The appeal has not been heard on its merits. We found no report of the reply being filed or of any position taken by Delhi Police.
Four complainants appeal against the acquittal Police and courts
What happened: Four of the women wrestlers filed a criminal appeal on 25 September. On 28 September the court issued notice to Brij Bhushan, Vinod Tomar and the state. The appeal also challenges Tomar’s acquittal on the intimidation charge (Section 506 Part I).
The grounds: The plea calls the acquittal ‘unsustainable in law’, says the magistrate made a ‘manifestly erroneous and selective appreciation’ of the evidence, and says the reasoning rested on ‘archaic and stereotypical assumptions’ about how victims should behave, as quoted by ThePrint.
Note: Only four of the original six complainants are reported as appellants. One had been discharged at the charge stage; reports do not say why the fifth did not join.
Trial court acquits Brij Bhushan and Vinod Tomar Police and courts
The verdict: The court acquitted Brij Bhushan of charges under IPC sections 354, 354A and 506 Part I, and acquitted co-accused Vinod Tomar, the former WFI assistant secretary, of criminal intimidation under 506 Part I. It held that the prosecution had not proved the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
What the court said: According to LawBeat’s report of the judgment, the court found material contradictions: one complainant placed an Olympic-qualification incident in Turkey in 2015 and then in Mongolia in 2016, and the court said this went to fundamental particulars. It noted no independent eyewitness for a 2018 incident at a Delhi stadium, found no contemporaneous complaints, and noted that some wrestlers kept cordial relations with Singh. It called the allegations ‘false and fabricated’ and part of a ‘deep conspiracy which seems to be politically motivated’. The complainants reject those findings.
Reactions: Singh said justice was done and that he never considered himself a criminal. Vinesh Phogat said the wrestlers had not lost hope and would appeal; Bajrang Punia also voiced disappointment. The women had told their lawyers to appeal.
Caution: These findings are the trial court’s, as reported. The full judgment had not been made public when LawBeat wrote, and an acquittal does not mean the alleged events could not have occurred: it means the charges were not proved to the criminal standard. The ruling is under appeal.
Vinesh Phogat says she is coming out of retirement for LA 2028 Athletes and politics
What happened: Vinesh Phogat, who had retired after the Paris disqualification, announced that she would return to wrestling and aim for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. Reports describe her as a sitting Congress MLA from Julana.
Status: We found no report on her qualification or competition record since the announcement.
National Sports Governance Act, 2025 receives assent WFI, ministry, law
What happened: The Act provides for a National Sports Board that recognises national sports bodies, a Safe Sports Policy with protections for women and minor athletes, and a National Sports Tribunal for disputes. Recognition is tied to central funding.
What we could not verify: This record does not claim the Act was passed because of the protest. We did not confirm how it treats athlete representation, or whether the Safe Sports Policy and the Board are yet functioning.
Court closes the POCSO case against Brij Bhushan Police and courts
What happened: The court accepted Delhi Police’s cancellation (closure) report in the case registered on a minor wrestler’s complaint. Police had filed the report on 15 June 2023; it ran to about 550 pages and said it found no corroborative evidence. On 1 August 2023 the complainant and her father told the court they were satisfied with the investigation and did not oppose closure.
Reaction: Singh said he was glad the matter was over. Critics questioned the closure. We found no report of a challenge to it.
Sports Ministry lifts the WFI’s suspension WFI, ministry, law
What happened: The ministry revoked the suspension it imposed on 24 December 2023, restoring the WFI’s recognition as a National Sports Federation. It cited a spot-verification committee’s findings and the federation’s compliance, and told the body to undo amendments made during the suspension. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said not revoking it would have been an injustice to wrestlers.
Reactions: Brij Bhushan said the ‘conspirators’ had not succeeded. Reports describe the decision as leaving Sanjay Singh in charge of the federation.
Vinesh Phogat wins the Julana seat Athletes and politics
What happened: Vinesh Phogat won Julana on a Congress ticket, her first election. She had joined the Congress on 6 September 2024; Bajrang Punia joined the party at the same time and was given a post in its farmers’ wing, according to reports.
Context: The trial judge later described the case as politically motivated. That is the judge’s view as reported; the wrestlers reject it, and the appeal will test it.
NADA bans Bajrang Punia for four years Athletes and politics
What happened: NADA’s disciplinary panel banned Bajrang Punia for four years, reported as effective from 23 April 2024, for refusing to give a sample during selection trials. He has linked the dispute to his role in the protest. NADA and the World Anti-Doping Agency treat refusal to provide a sample as a violation.
Status: We found no 2026 report on whether the ban was appealed or reduced, so his current status is unconfirmed.
Vinesh Phogat is disqualified at the Paris Olympics Athletes and politics
What happened: Vinesh Phogat reached the 50 kg final, then was disqualified on the morning of 7 August because her weight was about 100 grams above the limit. She announced her retirement the next day. The Court of Arbitration for Sport later rejected her appeal for a joint silver medal.
Relevance here: The disqualification is a sporting event, not a legal or governance finding about the protest. We include it because it shaped the public debate about how India treats its athletes.
UWW lifts its ban, IOA hands back control, High Court restores the ad-hoc committee WFI, ministry, law
What happened: United World Wrestling lifted its suspension of the WFI on 13 February 2024. The IOA then dissolved its ad-hoc committee on 18 March. On 16 August 2024 the Delhi High Court restored the ad-hoc committee while leaving room to review the ministry’s suspension. The WFI asked the ministry to revoke it in October 2024.
Note: A UWW condition, as reported, was that the WFI hold an election of its Athletes’ Commission.
BJP drops Brij Bhushan as a candidate; his son wins Kaiserganj Athletes and politics
What happened: Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls the BJP did not re-nominate Brij Bhushan, a six-time MP, and gave the Kaiserganj ticket to his son Karan Bhushan Singh, who won.
Why it matters: Election results are not findings in the criminal case.
Court orders charges against Brij Bhushan and Vinod Tomar Police and courts
What happened: On 10 May 2024 the court ordered that charges be framed. Brij Bhushan was charged with sexual harassment and outraging modesty in relation to five women; he was discharged on the allegations of the sixth. Tomar was charged with criminal intimidation relating to one complainant. Both pleaded not guilty.
Status: Framing of charges means the court found grounds to proceed to trial. It is not a finding of guilt. The trial was held in camera.
Ministry suspends the new WFI body; IOA sets up an ad-hoc committee WFI, ministry, law
What happened: On 24 December the ministry suspended the newly elected body, citing procedural lapses after the new president announced that under-15 and under-20 national championships would be held in Gonda, Brij Bhushan’s home area. On 27 December, at the ministry’s request, the IOA formed an ad-hoc committee led by Bhupender Singh Bajwa to run the WFI.
Context: The ministry said the decision was made in the interest of athletes. The government had earlier said the elections were held in a fair and democratic manner.
Sanjay Singh wins the WFI election; Sakshi Malik quits; Bajrang Punia returns his Padma Shri Athletes and politics
The vote: Sanjay Singh, a vice-president of the Uttar Pradesh Wrestling Association, defeated Olympic and Commonwealth Games medallist Anita Sheoran by 40 votes to 7. His panel won 13 of 15 posts. Reports describe him as a close associate of Brij Bhushan.
The reaction: Sakshi Malik announced her retirement, saying she would quit if a close associate of Brij Bhushan took over. Bajrang Punia wrote to the Prime Minister and, on 22 December, left his Padma Shri on a pavement near Kartavya Path after police stopped him from reaching the Prime Minister. Deaflympics gold medallist Virender Singh said he would also return his Padma Shri.
Government position: A ministry official said returning the honour was Punia’s personal decision and that the election was conducted fairly.
World wrestling body suspends the WFI WFI, ministry, law
What happened: UWW suspended the WFI because it had not held elections on time. Indian wrestlers competed as neutral athletes at the 2023 World Championships. UWW had warned on 28 April that it could take this step.
Why elections were delayed: A WFI election set for 7 May 2023 had been declared void on the ministry’s direction after the protest began, and later dates also slipped.
Brij Bhushan appears in court and is granted bail Police and courts
What happened: Brij Bhushan and Vinod Tomar appeared on 18 July in response to the summons and were granted interim bail. On 20 July the court granted regular bail on bonds of ₹25,000 each.
Conditions: They may not leave the country without the court’s permission and may not influence witnesses. Delhi Police had told the court there was enough evidence to proceed to trial.
Court takes cognisance of the chargesheet and issues summons Police and courts
What happened: After a hearing was adjourned to 1 July, the court took cognisance of the chargesheet against Brij Bhushan and Tomar and summoned both to appear on 18 July.
What cognisance means: It means the court has accepted that the material justifies starting a case. It does not decide whether the accused is guilty.
Delhi Police file a chargesheet and a closure report Police and courts
The chargesheet: Police charged Brij Bhushan under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to outrage modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation). Vinod Tomar was charged under 109, 354, 354A and 506. Reports describe a chargesheet of more than 1,000 pages.
The closure report: The same day police filed a cancellation report in the separate POCSO case, saying they found no corroborative evidence. The court did not decide on it until 26 May 2025.
What a chargesheet is: It is the police’s report of the evidence it has gathered. It is not a finding of guilt.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur meets the wrestlers Protest on the street
What happened: After the meeting the wrestlers said they would pause the protest until 15 June, the date by which the government had said the police investigation would be completed. They said they were told the chargesheet would be filed by then.
What the government promised: That the police investigation would be completed by 15 June. That was an assurance, not a finding or a reform.
Wrestlers say they will throw their medals into the Ganga Protest on the street
What happened: Two days after the police action, the wrestlers went to Haridwar to throw their medals into the Ganga. Farm leader Naresh Tikait and others asked them to wait, and they returned without immersing the medals.
Reaction: Several athletes, including Neeraj Chopra and Sunil Chhetri, publicly expressed distress at the treatment of the wrestlers, according to Deccan Herald.
Wrestlers march towards the new Parliament and are detained Protest on the street
What happened: The wrestlers set out to hold a women’s mahapanchayat in front of the new Parliament building as the Prime Minister inaugurated it. Police stopped them at the barricades, detained Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and others, and cleared the Jantar Mantar site.
Police version: Delhi Police cited a violation of law and order and said the gathering had no permission. A case for rioting and obstructing public servants was registered against protesters, according to press summaries.
Wrestlers’ version: They said police had been brutal and denied breaking barricades. Sakshi Malik said the protest was not over. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the government. Footage of the detentions was widely circulated.
A night-time clash at Jantar Mantar; farm leaders join Protest on the street
What happened: On the night of 3 May there was a clash between police and protesters at the site, with detentions; supporters of AAP leader Somnath Bharti were among those present, according to press summaries. On 7 May farm leader Rakesh Tikait joined the protesters.
Why it matters: The protest, which had been mainly an athletes’ sit-in, drew political parties and farm unions.
Two FIRs registered after the Supreme Court steps in Police and courts
The petition: On 25 April the Supreme Court issued notice on a petition by seven women wrestlers, one a minor then, seeking registration of an FIR. On 28 April the Solicitor General told the court police would register FIRs, and two were registered that day. The court directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to assess the minor complainant’s security.
The FIRs: One FIR covers the adult complainants. The other was registered on the minor’s complaint under the POCSO Act. The identity of the minor is protected by law and is not given here.
The closure: On 4 May 2023 the court closed the petition, saying its purpose was fulfilled and that the complainants had been given security.
IOA sets up an ad-hoc committee to run the WFI WFI, ministry, law
What happened: Following the ministry’s direction, the IOA formed a committee including Bhupender Singh Bajwa and Suma Shirur to manage the WFI office and conduct elections within 45 days. IOA president P. T. Usha had said that the wrestlers’ street protest was tarnishing India’s image, which the wrestlers said left them feeling let down.
Why it matters: The federation was taken out of its president’s day-to-day control, but the elections were not held on time.
The protest resumes at Jantar Mantar Protest on the street
What happened: Three months after the first sit-in, the wrestlers returned, saying the oversight committee’s report had not been made public and no FIR had been registered. The committee had submitted its report to the ministry on 5 April; the report was not published.
The new complaints: On 21 April seven women wrestlers, including a minor, had filed complaints of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation against Brij Bhushan with the police.
Ministry forms a five-member oversight committee WFI, ministry, law
What happened: The ministry formed a five-member committee chaired by boxer Mary Kom, including Olympian wrestler and BJP MLA Yogeshwar Dutt. It was given four weeks to investigate and, as reported, to oversee the WFI’s day-to-day affairs in the interim.
Wrestlers’ objection: The protesters said they had not been consulted on its formation.
Ministry seeks the WFI’s response; the sit-in is suspended Protest on the street
What happened: The ministry sought an explanation from the WFI. On 21 January the WFI replied denying all charges against Brij Bhushan. The government then promised an oversight committee, and the protest was called off.
Top wrestlers begin a sit-in at Jantar Mantar Protest on the street
The allegations: The wrestlers accused WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment of women wrestlers and of intimidation and abuse of authority. Brij Bhushan denied all allegations and called them a conspiracy.
The demands: His removal, an investigation, and a functioning complaints mechanism in the federation.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh becomes WFI president WFI, ministry, law
Background: Brij Bhushan, then a BJP MP, took over the federation in 2011 and led it for about 12 years. Sports federations in India are national bodies recognised by the ministry and affiliated to bodies such as the IOA and United World Wrestling. Their presidents are elected by affiliated state units.
Standing: He was a powerful politician and sports administrator. The allegations in 2023 were that he used that position to harass and intimidate. He denied them, and the 2026 trial court acquitted him.
Key People and Institutions
Being named, summoned or associated with a body is not a finding of guilt.
| Person or body | Role | Involvement, as documented |
|---|---|---|
| Vinesh Phogat | Wrestler; protest leader | Led the protest in support of the complainants; later Congress MLA; announced a 2028 Olympic comeback |
| Sakshi Malik | Olympic medallist; protest leader | Retired in Dec 2023 after the WFI election |
| Bajrang Punia | Olympic medallist; protest leader | Returned the Padma Shri; banned by NADA for four years (disputed) |
| Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh | WFI president 2011-2023; BJP politician | Accused; acquitted 3 Aug 2026; appeal pending. Denied all allegations |
| Vinod Tomar | Former WFI assistant secretary | Co-accused on criminal intimidation; acquitted |
| Sanjay Singh | WFI president since Dec 2023 | Elected 40-7; described as a Brij Bhushan associate; federation suspended and then restored |
| Anurag Thakur | Sports Minister in 2023 | Met the wrestlers; promised the investigation would finish by 15 June 2023 |
| Delhi Police | Investigating agency | Registered FIRs; filed the chargesheet and the POCSO closure report |
| Union Sports Ministry | Government regulator of federations | Formed the oversight committee; suspended and later reinstated the WFI |
| Indian Olympic Association | National Olympic body | Formed ad-hoc committees in April and December 2023 |
| Oversight Committee | Five-member panel chaired by Mary Kom, 23 Jan 2023 | Reported 5 Apr 2023; report not made public |
| United World Wrestling | World governing body | Suspended the WFI in Aug 2023; lifted it in Feb 2024 |
Allegations, Evidence and Court Decisions
Three different things, kept apart.
Claims by the complainants
- Sexual harassment of women wrestlers by the WFI president.
- Intimidation and abuse of authority.
- Failure of the federation’s complaint and governance systems.
Brij Bhushan denies all of these. A minor’s separate complaint was closed in 2025.
What police and committees did
- Two FIRs registered on 28 April 2023.
- Chargesheet on 15 June 2023 under IPC 354, 354A, 354D and 506.
- A 550-page closure report in the POCSO case: no corroborative evidence found.
- The oversight committee reported 5 April 2023; the report is not public.
Sources: LiveLaw, LawBeat, The Wire, ThePrint.
What courts have held
- Supreme Court, 4 May 2023: closed the petition after FIRs and security arrangements.
- Rouse Avenue Court: cognisance 7 Jul 2023; bail 20 Jul; charges May 2024.
- Patiala House Courts, 26 May 2025: POCSO closure accepted.
- Rouse Avenue Court, 3 Aug 2026: acquittal. Under appeal.
An acquittal means the charges were not proved to the criminal standard.
The Legal Path Explained
Complaint, FIR, chargesheet, cognisance, trial and appeal are different stages.
The Supreme Court step
The wrestlers went to the Supreme Court because, they said, police had not registered an FIR. The court issued notice on 25 April 2023. On 28 April the Solicitor General said FIRs would be registered. The court closed the petition on 4 May, noting that FIRs had been registered and that the complainants were secure.
Charges, cognisance and bail
The chargesheet was filed on 15 June 2023. The court took cognisance and issued summons in July 2023. Singh and Tomar got bail on 20 July on conditions that they not leave the country without permission or influence witnesses. Charges were ordered in May 2024.
The trial and the acquittal
The trial was held in camera. On 3 August 2026 Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar acquitted both accused. According to LawBeat, the court said contradictions in the accounts went to fundamental particulars, no independent eyewitness supported one 2018 incident, and the allegations were ‘false and fabricated’ and part of a ‘deep conspiracy which seems to be politically motivated’. The complainants dispute this. Their appeal argues the court appreciated the evidence selectively and relied on stereotypical assumptions about victims.
The POCSO case
Police said in June 2023 that they found no corroborative evidence in the case on the minor’s complaint. The complainant did not oppose closure, and the court accepted it on 26 May 2025. The minor’s identity is protected under law and is not stated here.
What has not been established
No court has convicted anyone. No court has found the allegations true. The trial court found the charges unproved and, as reported, described the allegations as fabricated; the appeal court has not yet ruled. Until then, neither ‘proved’ nor ‘false’ is a final finding.
| Step | What it means | Where this case is |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint | A person tells police or a court what happened | Done; complaints filed 21 Apr 2023 |
| FIR | Police register a case | Done, 28 Apr 2023 |
| Chargesheet | Police report the evidence they collected. Not a finding of guilt | Filed 15 Jun 2023 |
| Cognisance | The court accepts the case should begin | 7 Jul 2023 |
| Charges framed | The court formally states the offences to be tried | May 2024; five complainants |
| Trial verdict | The court decides whether the charges are proved | Acquittal, 3 Aug 2026 |
| Appeal | A higher court re-examines the verdict | Pending; notice 28 Sep 2026 |
| Final finding | A conviction or acquittal that can no longer be appealed | Not yet |
Government and Political Response
Positions as stated, not findings.
The government’s response
The ministry’s first response was an oversight committee, not an FIR. Anurag Thakur met the wrestlers in January and again on 7 June 2023. After the 24 December 2023 suspension the ministry said it acted to protect athletes. In March 2025 Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said not revoking the suspension would have been an injustice to wrestlers.
The opposition
Congress and AAP leaders joined the protest and criticised the police action of 28 May 2023; Rahul Gandhi said an ‘arrogant king’ was crushing the voice of the people, according to The Week. After the December 2023 election Congress and AAP backed the wrestlers’ protest against Sanjay Singh’s win.
Brij Bhushan’s position
Brij Bhushan called the allegations a conspiracy. After the December 2023 election he said of Sakshi Malik and others that they were sitting in the Congress’s lap, according to Aaj Tak. In August 2026 the trial court called the case politically motivated; the wrestlers deny any political plan and are appealing.
Police action and public debate
The 28 May 2023 detentions drew criticism from athletes including Neeraj Chopra and Sunil Chhetri. IOA president P. T. Usha had said the street protest was tarnishing India’s image, a remark that the wrestlers said made them feel let down. Farm unions backed the wrestlers, and Sakshi Malik met a Takht jathedar to seek support, according to The Tribune.
Where this leaves politics
Both sides now hold electoral roles: Vinesh Phogat is an MLA and Brij Bhushan sits on the BJP’s Uttar Pradesh executive. For how the political dimension of other Indian cases has played out, see our Political Cases of India hub.
Who Ran the WFI
Between January 2023 and March 2025 four bodies took turns running or regulating the WFI: its own elected leaders, the ministry’s oversight committee, the IOA’s ad-hoc committees and, at one point, the Delhi High Court. The world body also suspended it for about six months. Infographic 5 shows who held control, and when.
Impact on Indian Wrestling and Sports Governance
WFI’s credibility
The federation was suspended twice, by UWW in 2023 and by the ministry in 2023-25, and restored in March 2025 under the leader elected in the contested December 2023 vote.
Athlete representation
UWW lifted its ban in February 2024 on conditions that included an election of the WFI Athletes’ Commission. We did not verify how the 2025 Act treats athlete representation.
Harassment mechanisms and the POSH Act
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013, requires employers to keep an internal complaints committee. This record did not verify how it applies to athletes training under a federation. The National Sports Governance Act, 2025 provides for a Safe Sports Policy with protection for women and minors, but we have not found evidence that it is yet in operation.
Independent oversight and international standards
The 2025 Act sets up a National Sports Board with powers over recognition, and a National Sports Tribunal. UWW’s intervention showed that a world body can suspend a federation over election delays; it also asked the WFI not to discriminate against protesting wrestlers, according to the Free Press Journal.
Careers and well-being
One protest leader retired, one is banned and one entered politics before announcing a comeback. Vinesh Phogat’s Paris disqualification in August 2024 was a sporting event, but it brought athlete welfare into public view again. For other pieces on women in Indian sport, see our Harmanpreet Kaur timeline.
Competitions
The ministry suspended the new body after it announced national championships in Gonda. Selection trials in 2023 and 2024 were run under ad-hoc committees. This record did not verify India’s medal results in the period.
What Changed and What Remains Unresolved
On the record
- FIRs were registered after a Supreme Court petition.
- A trial was held and a verdict delivered.
- Federation elections and suspensions were reshaped by court and ministry action.
- A national sports governance law was passed in 2025.
Not delivered
- The oversight committee’s report was never made public.
- The wrestlers’ central demand, that the accused be held accountable at trial, did not succeed at the first level.
- The federation is led by Sanjay Singh, described in reports as a Brij Bhushan associate.
Still open on 2 Nov 2026
- The appeal against the acquittal.
- Whether Delhi Police or the state will take a position on the appeal.
- The release of the full judgment.
- The status of Bajrang Punia’s ban.
- Whether the 2025 Act is being implemented.
Explore More Timelines
People Also Ask
Wrestlers’ Protest: Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion: A Protest Without a Final Verdict
What began on a Delhi pavement has gone through an oversight committee, two FIRs, a police crackdown, a chargesheet, a trial and an acquittal. It also reshaped who runs Indian wrestling and produced a national sports governance law.
The criminal case is not over. The appeal will test the trial court’s reasoning, including its finding that the allegations were fabricated, which the complainants dispute. Until it is decided, the accurate summary is the one this record keeps returning to: alleged, tried, acquitted at first instance, appealed.
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⚠️ Editorial Note
Last updated 2 November 2026. Court developments follow reports by LiveLaw, LawBeat, ThePrint, The Wire, Scroll, Al Jazeera, The Tribune and others; we did not read the court orders themselves, and the 3 August 2026 judgment was not public when LawBeat reported on it, so its quoted reasoning should be checked against the order. Items flagged for review: the outcome of the next appeal hearing (reported as 20 November 2026), whether Delhi Police or the state has taken a position on the appeal, Bajrang Punia’s NADA status, and how the 2025 Act is being implemented. Some dates differ by a day between reports; we say so where they do. Complainants’ identities are not published, and the minor’s identity is protected by law. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has denied all allegations and was acquitted at trial; the acquittal is under appeal. This article is informational, not legal advice.
Sources & further reading
Every dated entry above was checked against these references. Last reviewed 2 November 2026.
- Al Jazeera: Indian court acquits ex-wrestling chief in sexual harassment case (3 August 2026)
- LawBeat: Allegations fabricated, deep political conspiracy: Rouse Avenue Court judgment in Brij Bhushan acquittal
- LiveLaw: Delhi court acquits Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in wrestlers' sexual harassment case
- ThePrint: Delhi court issues notice in women wrestlers' appeal against Brij Bhushan's acquittal
- The Wire: Brij Bhushan, recently acquitted, joins BJP's top panel in UP
- IANS: Brij Bhushan reacts as Delhi court closes POCSO case (28 May 2025)
- Scroll: Delhi court summons Brij Bhushan Singh on July 18
- LiveLaw: Supreme Court closes women wrestlers' plea after FIRs registered
- Scroll: Delhi Police detain wrestlers marching to new Parliament, clear protest site (28 May 2023)
- Scroll: Centre overturns suspension of Wrestling Federation of India (March 2025)
- Wikipedia: National Sports Governance Act, 2025
- Wikipedia: 2023 Indian wrestlers' protest