Prithvi Shaw selfie row: Mumbai magistrate court grants bail to Sapna Gill, others

The Andheri magistrate court in Mumbai has granted bail to social media influencer Sapna Gill and three others for allegedly attacking Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw and his friends outside Hotel Sahara Star in Mumbai's Santacruz.

The Mumbai police on Monday had sought three days police custody to investigate its case against Gill and others. Gill’s lawyer Ali Kaashif Khan argued against the sections of extortion invoked in the case by the police.

After the Andheri magistrate court sent Gill to judicial custody, Khan filed a bail plea, which stated that all the allegations levelled against her are baseless.

The court later granted bail to Gill and three other accused who had been arrested with her after hearing Khan's arguments. Khan had submitted before the court that the case against Gill was registered after the complainant realised that a case would be registered against them.

Public prosecutor Atia Sheikh, representing the police, opposed the bail plea, saying the investigation in the case was not completed. She argued that the accused had chased Shaw to take revenge as he refused to take a selfie with her. "They could have



even killed him (Shaw)," she added.

The Oshiwara police on Friday arrested five people for abusing and attacking Shaw and damaging his car. Their case was that Shaw and his friends were having dinner at Hotel Sahara Star’s cafe on Wednesday. Shaw alleged that Gill and Shobhit Thakur, after taking a few selfies with him, began to harass him for more photographs.

When Shaw refused to pose for more selfies, the two allegedly misbehaved with him. After that, when Shaw and his friend were leaving the hotel at 4 am, Gill along with others came on motorcycles and a car and abused Shaw and his friend.

One of the accused broke the rear windshield of the car with a bat, the complaint stated. After that, Gill allegedly threatened Shaw with a false complaint and demanded Rs 50,000 to back off.

Post this, an FIR was registered on the complaint for rioting, extortion and criminal intimidation under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Gill, Thakur and others.

Gill and co-accused Thakur were arrested on February 18. Gill was produced on Saturday before the Andheri magistrate, who remanded her to police custody till February 20.