`Attack' on cricketer Prithvi Shaw over selfie: woman social media influencer sent in police custody, two more arrested

Earlier in the day, a magistrate's court remanded social media influencer Sapna Gill, arrested in the case on Thursday, in police custody till February 20.

Besides original charges of rioting and extortion, Oshiwara Police also invoked Indian Penal Code section 387 (putting a person in fear of death or of grievous hurt in order to commit extortion).

While Gill's friend Shobhit Thakur and others are yet to be traced, two of the accused who had allegedly chased the cricketer's car as he headed for Oshiwara police station after the incident were held on Friday, said an official.

The main accused in the case had called both these men to the spot, he said, adding that their role in the attack had been established.

On Thursday, based on a complaint lodged by Shaw's friend and flatmate Ashish Yadav, Oshiwara Police registered a case against Gill, her friend Thakur and six others under Indian Penal Code sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 148 (rioting), 384 (extortion), 506 (criminal intimidation).

Gill was produced before a magistrate's court on Friday.

The incident had taken place on Wednesday. The investigating officer told the court that Thakur and Gill approached Shaw for a selfie at the hotel. Initially, the cricketer obliged them. But when they insisted on clicking more selfies, he declined, after which Gill and Thakur started misbehaving with the cricketer, he alleged.

The hotel manager intervened and asked Gill and Thakur to leave premises.

Shaw and his friends then had dinner at the hotel. When they were stepping out, they saw Thakur standing outside with a baseball bat in hand, the official told the court, citing Yadav's complaint.

After they sat in their car, the accused attacked its windshield with the baseball bat. Shaw was also manhandled by Gill. Sensing more trouble, the cricketer was shifted to another car while Yadav and others drove his vehicle to Oshiwara, the IO told the magistrate.

Yadav then saw three motorcycles and a white car chasing their vehicle. Around 4 am, those following him attacked his car when it was taking a U-turn near a petrol pump on Link Road. Thakur, who was one of them, broke the rear windshield with the baseball bat, the IO said.

The six persons on the motorcycles along with Gill and Thakur who were in another car abused Yadav, the IO added.

Yadav then took the car to Oshiwara police station. The eight accused also followed them there. Gill demanded that Yadav pay Rs 50,000 to settle the matter or else she would lodge a false police complaint against them, the investigating officer said.

While Gill's lawyer denied all the allegations, the social media influencer herself addressed the court directly, stating that all the allegations against her were false and "he (Shaw) hit me on the chest and arms." On the claim that the incident took place after she asked for a selfie with Shaw, Gill said, "I do not know him, nor I have ever seen him. I never asked for a selfie with him." She also accused Shaw of being inebriated. PTI AVI DC KRK KRK KRK