Sapna Gill moves Bombay High Court to quash FIR in Prithvi Shaw assault case

Social media influencer Sapna Gill has approached the Bombay High Court seeking quashing of the first information report (FIR) registered against her for allegedly assaulting Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw and his friends outside Hotel Sahara Star in Mumbai's Santacruz. .Gill alleged the Shaw is hand in glove with influential people and the allegations against her are baseless and vexatious. She also alleged that she was falsely implicated in the present FIR by Shaw’s friend, the complainant, on Shaw’s instructions to fulfill his “personal vendetta” and “harass and trap Gill” and misuse the criminal justice system to promote the scheme..The plea filed through advocate Ali Kaashif Khan sought directions to the police to not file any chargesheet against Gill. She also prayed that disciplinary proceedings be initiated against the investigating officer and senior police inspector of Oshiwara police station, as well as the police officer from the Airport Road police station of Mumbai, for working ‘hand in glove’ with Shaw and his friends.The plea alleged that the officers misused their authorities by invoking unjustified, serious criminal charges against Gill.Gill’s petition is likely to be heard in the coming week. .The Oshiwara police station in Mumbai had booked Gill and others for allegedly abusing and attacking Shaw and damaging his car in February this year. Post the alleged assault by Gill and her friends, Gill was accused of threatening Shaw with a false complaint and demanded ₹50,000 to back off.The FIR booked the accused for rioting, extortion and criminal intimidation under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).An additional offence under Section 387 (putting person in fear of death or of grievous hurt, in order to commit extortion) of IPC was added after a video recording of the incident surfaced. The provision is punishable with imprisonment upto 7 years.Gill was arrested on February 17 and kept in custody till she was granted bail by a Mumbai Court on February 20, 2023..Gill had also filed a counter complaint before the Airport police claiming that Shaw and his friends had outraged her modesty.She claimed that on February 25, her statement was recorded in her complaint. But later, she was informed that the spot of the incident was outside their jurisdiction, and hence her FIR could not be registered.