New Delhi, May 21: In a fresh twist to the alleged molestation of an American national at an IPL party on Friday, an Indian member of IPL's Team Bangalore allegedly helped accused cricketer Luke Pomersbach, first when the Australian tried to enter the victim's room a second time and again by warning her to drop the case.
The victim, Zohal Hamid, told TOI that a "skinny Indian guy" had tried to get Pomersbach into her room after he had attempted to molest her and attacked her partner, Sahil Peerzada. The same man, she said, approached her at Primus Hospital later that day, and asked her to withdraw the charges against his teammate.
Based on CCTV footage, police have identified the cricketer as K P Appanna, a left-arm spinner from Karnataka who has played several games for Team Bangalore in the current IPL season. Despite several attempts, the team management could not be contacted on phone, and did not answer an e-mailed questionnaire on Appanna's alleged role in the affair.
Delhi Police officials said they would investigate the matter. "This is a fresh allegation and we are investigating it. We have identified the man with Luke in the CCTV footage as IPL player Appanna," said Additional CP (New Delhi) K C Dwivedi.
The CCTV footage obtained from the hotel shows Luke, along with hotel security guard Vikas Yadav and another man - identified by cops as Appanna - walking out of the lift towards Zohal's hotel room.
While the man, along with the guard, is seen walking towards the room, Luke hangs back. The Australian later walks towards the room and then backtracks after being refused entry.
Delhi Police officials told TOI that Appanna had come to ask Zohal if a Bangalore team official was in the room. Zohal claimed to TOI that when she opened the door slightly, the "skinny Indian guy" tried to force it open, even as Luke too tried to barge in.
"I was trying to close the door because I was already very frightened and Sahil was lying inside the room all bloody and beaten up. The skinny Indian guy and Luke tried to open the door while I had to force it shut. The hotel guard was standing outside doing nothing to help me," she alleged.
Zohal told TOI that she was approached by different men at the Primus Hospital and later at the ITC Maurya Sheraton hotel who threatened her, and asked her to drop the charges against Luke. Among these men, the same "skinny Indian guy" threatened her, she said.
"There was a big white guy with Luke at the hospital on Friday morning. He was wearing a yellow t-shirt or a shirt and wanted to talk to me. He was outside the hospital entrance and kept saying something to me. All I heard was 'Drop the charges' and I ran inside the building to avoid him," she said.
Later, when Sahil's wound was being stitched, Zohal said another person approached her but she refused to speak to him. "He was this short chubby guy and said that he was from the IPL team. He identified himself as Avinash and gave my friend his number, asking me to call him. I was really scared."
She said that this person was accompanied by the same "skinny Indian guy" who had tried to enter her hotel room along with Luke earlier in the day. "This skinny Indian guy kept following me back and forth, while I was rushing around inside the hospital. I screamed at him, 'Leave me alone' but he would not let me go and kept following me. He told me, 'Withdraw the case. It's not going to take you anywhere', but I rushed away from him. I mentioned this to the police as well but they have not written it in the FIR," she said.
She also said that when she returned to the hotel on Friday morning to collect her belongings, there were five-six "white men" waiting at the entrance of her room to speak to her. "I rushed inside. The men wanted to speak to me but I was in shock and felt in danger after what had taken place a short while ago. I didn't allow anyone to come into my room. Even when we were leaving, the men were still standing there and tried to talk to me."
Zohal said cops had told her that they would scrutinize the CCTV footage, adding that these incidents took place between 10 and 11.20am. "I can identify the guys if I see the footage. One of them had either white or sharp blonde hair," she said.
Asked about the allegations, additional CP Dwivedi said, "The FIR was registered at 10.30am and the alleged incident happened at 11.30am when she went to pick up her clothing. Moreover, the statement on which the FIR was based was in English, dictated and signed by her."
Meanwhile, cops recorded Sahil Peerzada's statement. "He told us that he and Zohal had moved to Maurya Sheraton from Hotel Leela on May 16. The room had been booked through Hyderabad IPL team owner Venkat Ram under Sahil's name. He said after the party on Friday morning, Luke accompanied them to his suite for drinks and then molested the complainant. When Sahil tried to stop him, Luke punched him repeatedly and he fell down," a senior officer said.
Sahil also said Zohal was his girlfriend and that he had known her for six years, the officer said.
Cops are waiting to record the statements of Sahil's friends Miraz and Moiz, who were inside the hotel room at the time of the alleged incident. "Both flew to Mumbai on Friday, after Sahil was admitted in hospital. We have asked them to come to Delhi to give their statement on what took place inside room 1640, where Zohal and Sahil were staying. We will be questioning them closely as soon as they come to Delhi," said a senior police officer.
Cops claim that they want submit the case chargesheet soon, and are hoping to finish their investigations within a fortnight.
Meanwhile, as rumours did the rounds that Zohal had earlier been married to Mumbai-based businessman Shlok Bhagtiani, Zohal told TOI, "I know him as Sahil's friend. Sahil tells me he has known Shlok for two years."
Comments
Add new comment