A Delhi court has closed a criminal defamation case filed against celebrated wrestler Bajrang Punia after he extended an unconditional apology to the complainant, wrestling coach Naresh Dahiya.
The case was formally compounded on May 29, with the judge noting in the order, “Uncontested. Compounded,” after both parties informed the court that they had mutually agreed to resolve the matter amicably.
The defamation complaint stemmed from statements allegedly made by Punia during a press conference held on May 10, 2023, at Jantar Mantar. The press conference was part of a broader protest led by prominent wrestlers against the then Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexually harassing several women wrestlers.
Dahiya had claimed that Punia and others made defamatory remarks against him in the course of that protest. However, with Punia’s apology and Dahiya’s acceptance, the matter has now been laid to rest.
The court’s order brings an end to the legal proceedings, signaling reconciliation between the two figures within the Indian wrestling community.
