‘I Was Receiving Calls Demanding Rs. 7.5 Lakh To Get Case Withdrawn’: Shashank Singh

‘I was receiving calls demanding Rs. 7.5 lakh to get case withdrawn’: Shashank Singh (Image Source: IANS)

Special Director General: Punjab Kings cricketer Shashank Singh has revealed that he received calls demanding Rs 5 lakh and Rs 7.5 lakh in exchange for the withdrawal of an assault case filed against him and his father, claiming that the allegations were part of an attempt to extort money and tarnish his reputation.

Shashank and his father, retired Special Director General (DG) of Police Shailesh Singh, were booked by the Ratibad police last month after a cook employed at their residence accused them of allegedly confining and assaulting him, abusing him and forcibly taking away his mobile phone.

Speaking exclusively to IANS about the case, Shashank claimed that he began receiving calls from unknown numbers offering to have the case withdrawn in return for money.

“I was receiving calls from unknown numbers. One caller demanded ₹5 lakh, saying that if I paid the amount, the case would be withdrawn. Another caller demanded ₹7.5 lakh, making the same offer to get the case withdrawn. At that time, we did not know that he was a professional criminal. Gradually, we came to know that several cases had already been registered against him. He had allegedly come with the intention of tarnishing my reputation…” Shashank told IANS.

The middle-order batter also claimed that he and his family were shocked after learning about the complainant’s alleged criminal history. According to Shashank, cases had been registered against the man since 2018, including an attempt-to-murder case.

“An FIR had already been registered against him. This was not the first time. Cases had been registered against him since 2018. He had done this before as well. He was a habitual criminal, and there was even an attempt to murder case registered against him under Section 307. All of this was shocking for me. We were also shocked because when he left our house, he was fine. What happened outside? What led to the scuffle? I saw the videos and visuals, but it all appeared to be an attempt to extort money from us-to threaten and intimidate us into paying…” he added.

Earlier on Sunday, Shashank issued a lengthy social media statement denying the allegations and claiming that a 'false FIR' had been used as a tool for extortion to damage his reputation as a public figure.

The cricketer said the episode had changed him as a person, recalling how he was portrayed overnight as someone who had assaulted an underprivileged individual.

"This incident changed me forever and taught me lessons I will carry for life. I am not writing this for sympathy. I am writing it because this was the first time my family and I experienced something like this, and I hope others learn from it," he wrote on Instagram.

Shashank claimed that the complainant had left his house unharmed and that his family was later shocked to see videos showing him with injuries. He further alleged that police records subsequently revealed that the man had nine FIRs registered against him and had been charge-sheeted in eight cases for various offences.

"This incident changed me forever and taught me lessons I will carry for life. I am not writing this for sympathy. I am writing it because this was the first time my family and I experienced something like this, and I hope others learn from it," he wrote on Instagram.

Shashank maintained that the case was an attempt to put pressure on him for monetary gain and urged people to conduct proper background checks and police verification before employing domestic staff.

Article Source: IANS