Gonda (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 6 : BJP leader and Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Thursday said an atmosphere was created to portray him "as a rapist", days after a Delhi court acquitted him in the sexual harassment case.
Speaking to the media during his visit to Nandini Nagar in Gonda, Singh said, "I was made to appear as if I had committed rape. The allegation against me was that while presenting a medal to someone, I had touched them. These were the kinds of allegations. An atmosphere was created as if I were a rapist."
Targeting the Opposition and others, he said, "Opposition parties jumped into the issue, several organisations joined in. Altogether, I have a list of 42 people -- organisations, political parties and individuals. Among those 42, there are also some industrialists. The industrialists financed it, and there are others behind them as well."
Referring to the court's verdict, Singh said, "Despite all that, today I have been acquitted by the court. They wanted to burn me alive. There were demands to catch me and burn me alive."
On Wednesday, Singh welcomed his complete exoneration by the Rouse Avenue Court regarding the accusations brought against him in 2023 by various women wrestlers.
The BJP leader praised the fairness of the legal framework, saying the judiciary used the word 'honour' and completely acquitted him.
Reflecting on the significance of the judicial verdict and the court's mention of his dignity, he said, "Yesterday, the judiciary used the word 'honour' and completely acquitted me of the charges levelled on January 18, 2023. We thank the judicial process for this," he said.
On Monday, Delhi's Rouse Avenue court acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and then WFI secretary Vinod Tomar of the sexual harrasment case.
This case was linked with the FIR filed by women wrestlers during his tenure as Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief. Delhi Police had invoked sections 354, 354D, 354A, 506 (1) and 109 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Ashwani Panwar acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar. The hearing was conducted in a closed courtroom.