Amit Mishra gets reprieve as complainant withdraws assault case
Indian leg-spinner Amit Mishra received reprieve in the recent case he was charged with when he allegedly assaulted a woman at a hotel room in Bengaluru. According to a report on PTI, the complainant withdrew the case yesterday.
Mishra would have had to appear before the police on October 27, which is just a couple days after the fifth ODI ends in Mumbai. Now that the complaint has been withdrawn, Mishra will now be able to focus on the crucial fifth ODI, scheduled to take place in Mumbai.
The in-form leg-spinner was charged under the Indian Penal Code sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 328 (causing hurt with intent to commit an offence).
“Two days after lodging the complaint, I approached the police station and told them that I have in principle decided to withdraw the case. I am waiting for Mishra to appear in the police station,” the complainant said.
Earlier, the complainant was revealed to be a close friend of Mishra's for around three years. Vandana Jain, a Bollywood actor-turned-producer, had revealed that Mishra and she used to meet and spend time together whenever the cricketer was in Bengaluru. This was until Mishra apparently began ignoring her.
When Mishra was in Bengaluru last month for the Indian national team pre-tour training camp, Jain and the cricketer had met in Mishra's hotel room which supposedly led to an argument.
Jain wished to resolve the issues at the earliest and in a peaceable manner. “We both will amicably withdraw the case. We were friends. We fought, and continue to remain friends here after.”
The complainant, however, did say that she did not come to the decision of withdrawing the case under any kind of pressure from anyone.
“There was no pressure from any quarters, including the BCCI. I am surprised how the media picked up the case, which I have decided to withdraw,” she clarified.
In the three ODIs that Mishra has featured in, he has picked up four wickets at a miserly economy rate of 4.7. The 32-year-old spinner will be hoping to continue his good run with the ball and help his side to an ODI series victory when India take on South Africa in Mumbai on Sunday.
After losing the fourth ODI in Chennai, South Africa will be looking to win their first ODI series in India when they lock horns with the hosts in the fifth ODI on Sunday.