In a major political development ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been appointed to the Uttar Pradesh BJP's state executive committee, The Indian Express reported.
The appointment comes nearly three months after a Delhi court acquitted the powerful six-time former MP in a high-profile sexual harassment case filed by women wrestlers, even as four complainants continue to pursue an appeal against the acquittal before a higher court.
The appointment comes as the Uttar Pradesh BJP state executive committee convenes in Lucknow on Friday for a meeting addressed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to strategise for the 2027 assembly polls. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will address the opening session, while Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will speak at the conclusion.
Singh's appointment is likely a strategic move to secure votes in the crucial Purvanchal region, where the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief has held immense political influence for decades across Gonda, Kaiserganj, and Balrampur. However, despite his long-standing dominance in these pockets, this is his first official position within the UP BJP's state executive body. He now joins an expanded committee that features 548 members, alongside 30 permanent and 134 special invitees.
Wrestlers' sexual harassment case
The controversy traces back to January 2023, when India's top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, staged intense street protests in New Delhi demanding Singh's removal over allegations of sexual exploitation. Following the intervention of the Supreme Court, the Delhi Police registered two FIRs in April 2023, one involving six adult athletes and another involving a minor. While the separate POCSO Act case involving the minor was officially closed in May 2025 after the complaint was withdrawn, the Delhi Police pushed forward with a chargesheet against Singh for sexual harassment, stalking, and criminal intimidation of the adult wrestlers.
On August 3, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar acquitted Singh, ruling that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt. The court's comprehensive judgement highlighted major contradictions in the testimonies, significant delays in reporting the alleged incidents, and the fact that two of the primary complainants did not support the prosecution's narrative during the actual trial phase.
In September, four women wrestlers moved a higher Delhi court to appeal the acquittal, arguing that the trial court misevaluated the evidence and relied on outdated stereotypes regarding how survivors behave post-harassment. At a follow-up hearing on October 28, Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh granted the former MP a final one-week window to file his official counterresponse, scheduling the next round of arguments for November 20.
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