The Allahabad High Court has granted fast bowler Yash Dayal interim bail in a sexual harassment complaint brought by a lady with whom he was allegedly in a five-year relationship. The judgement, issued by a division bench of Justices Siddhartha Varma and Anil Kumar, grants the player interim reprieve until the next hearing or until the police deliver their findings.
The investigation was based on a FIR filed on July 6 at the Indirapuram police station in Ghaziabad. The case, filed under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), charges Dayal with sexual exploitation through cheating. According to the complainant, a woman from Ghaziabad, Dayal went into a long-term relationship with her under the false promise of marriage. She claimed that he introduced her to his family as a potential bride and exploited her emotionally, physically, and financially for five years.
The woman reportedly claimed physical violence and mental harassment, claiming that she was financially dependent on Dayal before discovering his alleged relationship with other women. She explained that the promise of marriage was used to win her trust and agreement for sexual intercourse. During the hearing on Tuesday, the High Court expressed strong doubts about the claims regarding the relationship’s durability.
“You could have been duped for one, two, or three days, but five years? “You are entering into a five-year relationship; one cannot be duped for five years,” the judge stated, as quoted by the Cricket Times.
Yash Dayal counter-complaints against the woman
The Court emphasized that the matter required deeper investigation and that it would not be appropriate to make any urgent move against the accused at this point. Accordingly, the court issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government, the Ghaziabad police, and the complainant, directing them to submit their responses.
The pacer has denied the allegations, stating that the FIR was filed with cruel intent after his recent selection to the Indian national team. He revealed that the complainant remained silent for years and only took legal action after he gained significant popularity.
As part of his legal defence, Dayal submitted that he had supported the woman financially during their relationship and that no false promise of marriage was ever made. He also filed a counter-complaint against the woman, accusing her of theft and financial fraud, citing the disappearance of his iPhone and laptop.
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