The Madhya Pradesh High Court here on Monday granted anticipatory bail to Alpesh Shah, former Joint Secretary of Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA), accused of sexually harassing a young woman cricketer.
Shah's application for anticipatory bail was accepted by Justice S C Sharma of the Indore bench, on the basis of the agreement reached between the two parties in the presence of a five-member inquiry team set up by the MPCA as well as its order for interim protection to Shah on December 4 this month.
Ajay Bagaria, counsel of the petitioner, said the High Court’s decision to grant anticipatory bail to Shah was necessitated by the letter of reconciliation between the victim and the accused as well as its ruling on December 4 wherein the High Court had directed Indore police to desist from arresting Shah unless and until investigation is completed against him. Besides, it had also asked Shah to fully cooperate in police probe against him.
Madhya Pradesh High Court four days back had granted interim protection till December 30 to former Joint Secretary of Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association Alpesh Shah, who had applied to the court for anticipatory bail. While taking up his plea for anticipatory bail plea, Justice Shubhada Waghmare had restrained police from arresting him till December 30, the next date of hearing, directing the complainant to ensure her or her lawyer's presence on that date.
Shah's lawyer Ajay Bagadia told the judge that his client and the woman had already settled the matter before the five-member MPCA probe committee on December 21. The committee headed by the retired High Court Judge Indrani Datta had signed the settlement copies for both sides and ended the probe, he said.
The complainant, an U-19 female cricketer had alleged that Shah outraged her modesty at the administrative block office of Holkar Stadium here on September 23. Shah had stepped down from the MPCA joint secretary when the matter came to light on November 27 when the victim along with her father lodged a complaint against Shah with Tukoganj police.