Selfie brawl: Social media influencer out on bail seeks molestation FIR against cricketer Prithvi Shaw

PTI, Feb 21, 2023, 11:01 AM IST

Social media influencer Sapna Gill has filed an application in a Mumbai police station seeking registration of an FIR against Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw and others for allegedly outraging her modesty.

Gill, who was arrested last week along with some others in connection with an attack on Shaw following an argument over clicking of selfies at a suburban hotel, was released on bail by a magistrate court on Monday. Her application, filed on Monday through her advocate Kaashif Ali Khan at Airport police station in Andheri, seeks an FIR against Shaw, his friend Ashish Yadav and others for alleged molestation and outraging of modesty.

As per Gill’s application, she and her friend Shobhit Thakur are regular patrons of the upmarket club, where the latter spotting Shaw who was partying with friends and was allegedly inebriated. Thakur being a cricket fan approached Shaw for a selfie, which was met with hostility, the application alleged. “Thakur, who is just a teenager, was unaware of the brutality of the drunken mob. Thakur was helpless and was unable to defend himself. Hence, she (Gill) intervened and entered the fray trying to stop Shaw and others from further harming and injuring Thakur,” as per the application.

It further claimed that Gill begged and pleaded with Shaw, who was “inebriated” at the time. Gill’s application alleged Shaw outraged her modesty, an offence punishable under 354 (molestation) and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code. Shaw was allegedly manhandled and his car attacked with a baseball bat after a row that started in the luxury hotel in the early hours of February 15 over clicking selfies.

While Gill was arrested on February 16, Thakur (19) was held on February 18, as per police. Eight persons were charged with rioting, assault, putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt in order to commit extortion, criminal intimidation and other offences by Oshiwara police in connection with the incident on the complaint of Shaw’s friend Ashish Yadav. As per police, Gill and Thakur had approached Shaw for selfies, which led to an argument as the cricketer refused to oblige after a couple of mobile phone photographs.

Gill, Thakur as well as their six friends had waited for Shaw and his friend outside the hotel and allegedly chased them and also broke their car’s windscreen with a baseball bat. Sensing trouble, Shaw shifted to another car, while Yadav drove the attacked vehicle to Oshiwara police station and lodged a complaint.