Women Wrestlers Challenge BJP's Brij Bhushan's Acquittal In Sexual Assault Case

Women wrestlers have filed a petition in a Delhi Sessions Court challenging the acquittal of ex-Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan in a sexual harassment case. The lawsuit alleges that the trial court applied the "ideal victim standard," arguing that the judgment unfairly relied on outdated stereotypes of how victims should act.

The petition, scheduled for a hearing on Saturday, claims that the order discredited the complainants because they could not provide photographic evidence of the alleged incident, did not immediately resist, and maintained professional relationships with Bhushan despite his control over their careers. The petition also argues that the court treated the victims' lack of retaliation as evidence that the allegations were false.

The case, which has been ongoing for three years, involved 32 prosecution witnesses, with only two complainants originally filing the allegations due to fear of career repercussions. The third complainant's charges were not pursued.