Court Clears Ex-Wrestling Chief in POCSO Case
The Child Protection Law Has 3% Conviction Rate
May 27, 2025
A court in Delhi has cleared Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, former president of India’s wrestling federation, in a case filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The case was lodged by a minor female wrestler in 2023. The development comes at a time when the conviction rate under the child protection law stands at just 3%, according to official data.
The court accepted a report submitted by Delhi Police recommending cancellation of the case, the BBC reported.
Police reportedly said their investigation had not found corroborative evidence to support the allegations. The minor wrestler and her father appeared before the court and said they were satisfied with the police inquiry and had no objection to the closure of the case.
The minor had retracted her statement, and reports indicated that her father admitted in court that the original complaint was false. Singh declined to comment on the retraction at the time, saying the matter should be left to the legal process.
In the initial FIR filed with Delhi Police, the minor’s father alleged that the sexual harassment by Singh had left his daughter distressed, as reported by Mint at the time. The complaint described an incident in which Singh allegedly held her tightly under the guise of taking a photograph, then pressed against her shoulder and intentionally touched her inappropriately. On May 10, 2023, the minor gave her statement before a magistrate, describing multiple instances of alleged misconduct.
Singh, a former Member of Parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), still faces a separate case filed by as many as six adult female wrestlers who accused him of sexual harassment and stalking. Singh has denied all allegations.
In 2023, a group of top wrestlers protested in Delhi demanding action against Singh. Police detained Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, along with world champion medallist Vinesh Phogat, during a protest march. Footage showed them being dragged by officers and taken away in vans.
The Indian government was criticised at the time for not taking swift action, as Singh remained a sitting MP throughout the protests.
The female wrestlers alleged in complaints Singh molested and groped them during training camps and competitions. Singh denied all charges and accused the wrestlers of being politically motivated.
According to a December 2023 report by the India Child Protection Fund, the conviction rate under the POCSO Act was just 3% in 2022, according to The Economic Times.
More than 243,000 cases were pending in fast-track courts across India as of January 2023. The report estimated that it would take at least nine years to clear this backlog, assuming no new cases are added in that time.
There are multiple reasons behind the low conviction rate.
One of the key issues is the poor quality of police investigations. Officers often lack the training to handle child sexual abuse cases appropriately. As a result, investigations are delayed, forensic evidence is either not collected or not properly documented, and case files are incomplete.
Delays in filing charge sheets are also common, even though the law mandates that they be filed within 90 days. The delays disrupt the legal process and reduce the chances of obtaining reliable evidence. Further, high pendency in the courts contributes to long trial timelines. Many survivors, especially children, struggle to recall events or maintain consistency in their statements after years of waiting.
Witnesses and survivors also frequently turn hostile or retract their statements. Although the POCSO Act calls for child-friendly procedures in courts, many trial settings allegedly do not follow these norms. Children are often forced to testify in intimidating environments without adequate safeguards, according to experts.
Another factor is the lack of legal and psychological support for child survivors. Many families do not receive help from trained support persons or lawyers, especially in rural areas.
Systemic gaps in court infrastructure also play a role. Fast-track courts often lack sufficient judges, prosecutors and staff. In-camera trials and separate facilities for child survivors are missing in many districts, according to reports.
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