Delhi Capitals and Bengal wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel was arrested by Bengal Police on Tuesday, August 11. This was in connection with a case filed by a medical student alleging rape, criminal intimidation and assault.
According to reports, Porel was taken into custody in Hooghly, questioned and subsequently formally arrested before being sent for a medical examination and produced before the Chinsurah Court.
The case originated from a complaint registered at Mogra Police Station. The woman alleged that Porel established a physical relationship with her on the promise of marriage and later threatened her. She also alleged that intimate moments were recorded and that she was threatened with the possible release of private photographs. The complainant had approached the Calcutta High Court, alleging police inaction. The court subsequently directed the police to arrest the cricketer and ordered the seizure of his electronic devices to prevent the circulation of alleged private material. A pen drive was reportedly seized and sent for forensic examination.
Porel, who has previously denied the allegations, remains an accused and has not been convicted. The allegations are yet to be established in court, with the investigation and judicial proceedings continuing.
Calcutta HC orders seizure of Abhishek Porel’s devices in rape case
The Calcutta High Court had directed West Bengal Police to arrest Delhi Capitals wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel in connection with a rape case filed by a medical student. It had also ordered investigators to seize his electronic devices. In its July 14 order, Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya said, ‘It appears that accused persons…are required to be apprehended for seizure of electronic devices lying with them so that data stored therein cannot be shared with others.’ The court further directed police to continue efforts to apprehend the accused and seize devices so that the alleged private material could not be circulated.
The complainant alleged that the Delhi Capitals’ batsman had established a physical relationship with her on the promise of marriage. He later also threatened her, including allegedly threatening to make private photographs public. Police had informed the court that a pen drive/storage device had already been seized and that material believed to be connected with the case was stored on it.
The court specifically stated, ‘Concerned police authorities are directed to continue with their endeavour to apprehend respondent nos.6 & 7 [accused] and to make seizure of devices so obnoxious data stored therein shall not be further disseminated.’ The Bengal cricketer was subsequently arrested by Bengal Police on August 11. The allegations remain unproven and are subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.