The alleged molestation row in the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association here took a new turn with the victim accepting an ‘apology letter’ from the accused and former MPCA joint secretary Alpesh Shah on Saturday.
The victim, who had failed to turn up in an earlier date with the five-member panel constituted by the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association to record her statement, over the issue appeared on Friday and accepted an apology letter purportedly written by Alpesh Shah. The five-member panel includes retired judge Indrani Dutta, advocate Meena Chapekar, Ashok Kumut and MPCA CEO Rohit Pandit.
With the acceptance of apology letter by the victim, the ongoing MPCA inquiry against Shah has ended, however, Shah would still have a legal battle ahead as a case being filed against him under Section 164 by the police. It may be noted that the Madhya Pradesh High Court Indore bench has already rejected his interim bail plea giving full liberty to Indore police to arrest Shah if the latter is found to be guilty under Section 41.
After rejection of his bail plea, city police have raided the residence of Shah in the past few days but he was found to be absconding. Meanwhile, the police on Saturday submitted a case dairy of the case before the court. Shah had quit the MPCA post on November 27 when the allegations surfaced. Following the complaint of the victim, Tukoganj police had registered a case against Shah under Section 354 (outraging modesty of woman) under the Indian Penal Code on November 29. The victim in her complaint before the police had claimed that on September 23, 2013, Shah called her to his room at the Madhavrao Scindia Administrative Block at the MPCA office to give “special blessings”. When she went to his office, Shah allegedly tried to molest her, but she wriggled out of his clutches and rushed home.