Prithvi Shaw attack case: Sapna Gill, 3 others get bail from court soon after being sent to 14-day judicial custody

Mumbai, Feb 21: A Mumbai Court granted bail to social media influencer Sapna Gill and three others on Monday (February 20) in connection with the alleged manhandling of Prithvi Shaw.

Sapna Gill and four others were arrested by Mumbai Police after a complaint was filed against them for attacking the India cricketer's car with a baseball bat in Mumbai last week after an argument over taking selfie with him.

Earlier in the day, the court rejected the police plea seeking an extension of their remand by another four days on the ground they needed more time to recover the baseball bat and the vehicle used in the alleged crime.

It then sent Gill, her friend Shobhit Thakur and two others, Rudra Solanki and Sahil Singh, to jail under 14-day judicial custody. All four accused were arrested last week and were in police custody till February 20.

After being sent to judicial custody, the social media influencer and the other accused immediately moved bail applications before the court. Metropolitan magistrate, Andheri court, C P Kashid, after hearing brief arguments, granted bail to all of them.

Gill, in her application filed through advocate Kaashif Ali Khan, claimed the FIR (first information) against her has been registered on "completely false and bogus allegations".

"The statements in the FIR are fabricated, concocted and without any basis and the applicant (Gill) is being falsely implicated in the above case," the bail plea said.

Charges against Sapna Gill and others

After initially charging them with rioting, unlawful assembly and criminal intimidation, the Mumbai police later added a stringent section of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) - 387 (putting a person in fear of death or of grievous hurt in order to commit extortion) - in the case. The IPC section 387 attracts jail term up to seven years.

Advocate Khan argued the stringent provision was added belatedly just to harass the accused. The case was filed because Shaw must have thought Gill might file a complaint against him over the selfie row, Khan said further, adding keeping her "behind bars will not be fruitful".

After his client got the bail, Khan informed the media that a case will be lodged against the Indian cricketer, "The police asked for 3 more days of custody, but the magistrate understood that this case has many loopholes. That's why the bail application of Social Media Influencer Sapna Gill has been accepted.

"The complaint against Prithvi Shaw will be filed today under sections 354, 509, 351, 324, 323 & others."

Advocate Shekhar Bhambure, appearing for Thakur, argued the police didn't take permission from the court while adding the IPC section 387.

The police, represented by public prosecutor Atia Sheikh, opposed the bail applications, saying the investigation in the case has not been completed yet. Sheikh argued the accused had chased Shaw to take "revenge" as he refused to pose for a selfie with them.

They could have even "killed" the 23-year-old cricketer, said the prosecutor. However, the court, after hearing arguments from the prosecution and defence, granted bail to all four accused.

Later, talking to PTI, Gill said she was scared and thought she might have to go to jail. "I'm thankful that the judge heard my side and granted me bail," she said.

On suggestions that the entire incident was "staged" by her for "achieving fame", Gill said in that scenario she would have registered a case and not the cricketer.

"Maybe, he (Shaw) wanted fame," she added. The alleged incident took place last Wednesday outside a luxury hotel at Santacruz in Mumbai following an argument with the social media influencer and her male friend after the cricketer refused to click selfies with her.

Gill, along with her friend Thakur and six others, was booked on relevant charges under the IPC and four of them were arrested by the police.

(With PTI inputs)