Bengal cricketer and Delhi Capitals player Abhishek Porel has been arrested by Magra Police in Hooghly following allegations that he had sexual relations with a woman after promising to marry her.
Porel was arrested on Tuesday. Police have registered a case against him under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act. He is scheduled to be produced before the Chinsurah court on Tuesday.
The complaint was filed at Magra Police Station on June 23 by a medical student from Karnataka.
According to the complaint, the woman alleged that she had been in a relationship with Porel for around three-and-a-half years. She claimed that the two had discussed getting married and had also travelled abroad together.
The relationship reportedly ran into trouble around a year and a half ago. The matter had reached the police station at the time, but no formal complaint was filed.
The woman subsequently approached the police and lodged a complaint against the cricketer.
Following the complaint, Hooghly Rural Superintendent of Police Kunwar Bhushan Singh visited Magra Police Station and discussed the case with Inspector-in-Charge Soumen Biswas and Deputy Superintendent of Police (Crime) Abhijit Singh Mahapatra.
Police subsequently began investigating the allegations and visited Porel’s residence in Chandannagar several times. However, the cricketer was reportedly not present at home during those visits.
Porel had earlier denied all the allegations against him.
Speaking to Anandabazar.com over the phone from Bengaluru, he had said, “I am playing well at the moment, so such things are coming up.”
He had also said, “The IPL has just ended. I am currently busy with my family.”
At the time, Porel claimed that police had not contacted him regarding the allegations.
“When the police investigate, I will speak about it. I have not spoken to the police yet,” he had said.
Police arrested Porel after he returned home.
The woman had also approached the Calcutta High Court, alleging that the police had failed to take action despite the complaint being lodged several days earlier.
The High Court subsequently directed the police to arrest Porel, following which the police took action.
Porel earned his place in the Delhi Capitals squad after consistently scoring runs for Bengal. He was brought into the team with the franchise looking to address the absence of Rishabh Pant.
He featured in only four matches during his first IPL season and did not make a significant impact with the bat. Delhi Capitals, however, continued to back the young wicketkeeper and retained him for another season.
Porel repaid that faith in the latest IPL season, contributing with the bat and strengthening his position in the franchise setup.
The allegations against Porel are subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.
