Spat with cricketer Shaw: Social media influencer seeks action against cops, approaches HC

Mumbai: Social media influencer Sapna Gill on Monday moved the Bombay High Court seeking disciplinary proceedings against seven police officers, including Mumbai commissioner Vivek Phansalkar, for not registering an FIR on her complaint against cricketer Prithvi Shaw.

Gill had accused Shaw of molesting her at a pub in suburban Andheri following an argument over clicking selfies. Gill was arrested in connection with the incident on February 23 and is currently out on bail.

Gill, in a writ petition filed before the court, sought action against seven police officers for not registering a case based on her complaint against Shaw.

Following her release, Gill had filed a complaint against Shaw, his friend Ashish Yadav and others at the Airport police station in Andheri, alleging molestation and outraging modesty.

When the police did not register a case against the cricketer, Gill approached the magistrate court, which on April 3 this year directed the Santacruz police station to probe her complaint and file a report by June 19.

The magistrate court, however, dismissed her complaint seeking action against the police, following which she moved the HC.

In her petition filed through advocate Kashil Ali Khan, she contended that the police officers, as public servants, were required to record the information given for cognizable offence under section 354 (molestation) of the Indian Penal Code and take necessary cognizable action.

Despite Gill’s “diligent and constant efforts to through the proper channels”, her grievances remained unanswered at the higher levels of the police hierarchy, the plea said.

The plea claimed Gill had approached commissioner Phansalkar hoping for an intervention that would lead to the registration of the FIR against Shaw and others.