Women wrestlers challenge Brij Bhushan’s acquittal, say ‘ideal victim’ standards applied
The order was based on ‘archaic and stereotypical assumptions’ about the ‘expected’ behaviour of victims of sexual assault, they said.
Black News 
Four women wrestlers have moved a Delhi court against the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case, Live Law reported on Friday.
They have contended that the August 3 order passed by the additional chief judicial magistrate applied the “ideal victim standard” to the wrestlers who had accused the former Bharatiya Janata Party MP of sexual harassment and intimidation, The Indian Express reported.
The wrestlers have also challenged the acquittal of Vinod Tomar, a former assistant secretary of the wrestling federation who was charged with criminal intimidation for threatening one of the complainants.
In his order acquitting them, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar of Rouse Avenue Courts had stated that the allegations against Singh were “false and fabricated” and seemed to be “politically motivated”.
Noting that the complaint against Singh was filed long after the alleged sexual harassment, the court had said that the wrestlers’ accusations appeared to be “rehearsed, well-practised and planted”, while also observing that the complainants had maintained “cordial relations” with Singh for years.
The judge had also pointed out that the complainants had maintained “cordial relations” with Singh for years and invited him to family functions.
In their petition, the four wrestlers said that the order was based on “archaic and stereotypical assumptions” about the “expected” behaviour of...
