“He hit me on the chest and arms” - What we know about the Prithvi Shaw-Sapna Gill selfie controversy so far
Young Team India batter Prithvi Shaw finds himself in the midst of a major controversy over an incident involving a fan wanting to click selfies with him. According to reports, the incident took place on Wednesday, February 15, night outside a luxury hotel in Santacruz, Mumbai.
Cops revealed that the cricketer had gone to the hotel for dinner with his businessman friend. Sapna Gill, a social media influencer, and her friend Shobhit Thakur approached Shaw for a selfie. The opening batter initially obliged. However, when the duo insisted on clicking more selfies, Shaw refused, which led to an argument.
Later, when Shaw and his friend Ashish Yadav were leaving the hotel, they saw Thakur with a baseball bat in hand. Yadav is said to have smashed the windshield of Shaw's vehicle with the baseball bat. There are also allegations that the cricketer was manhandled by Gill over his refusal to oblige for more selfies.
In the wake of the controversy, we look at some significant developments that have taken place in this case so far.
What Prithvi Shaw’s friend said in police complaint
According to the Indian cricketer's friend and flatmate Yadav, both Gill and Thakur were in an inebriated state and started arguing with Shaw over his refusal to click selfies. The complaint filed by him stated that the hotel manager even asked Gill and Thakur to leave.
Yadav also confirmed that the cricketer’s car was attacked by Thakur, who was holding a baseball bat. Subsequently, Shaw was shifted to another car while Yadav and others drove his vehicle to Oshiwara. It did not end there, according to Yadav.
The complaint alleged that three motorcycles and a white-colored car were chasing their vehicle. Around 4 a.m., the car was attacked by people following them when it was taking a U-turn near a petrol pump. Yadav claimed Thakur broke the rear windshield of the car with a baseball bat.
Sapna Gill arrested in selfie controversy
Based on the complaint filed by Shaw’s friend, the Oshiwara police in Mumbai registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Gill and seven others under Indian Penal Code sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 148 (rioting), 384 (extortion), 506 (criminal intimidation) and other offenses.
Feeling sad for Prithvi Shaw. https://t.co/cT9ooiZIxz
Gill was arrested on Thursday, February 16, for allegedly manhandling Shaw and has been remanded to police custody till February 20. According to reports, while Thakur and others have not yet been traced, two of the accused who allegedly chased the cricketer's car were nabbed on Friday.
“He hit me on the chest and arms” - Sapna Gill on Shaw selfie controversy
During a hearing in a Mumbai court on Friday, February 17, Gill accused Shaw of hitting her, claiming that the cricketer even apologized to her and requested that she not file a police complaint.
According to a PTI report, Gill dismissed all the allegations leveled against her and told the court:
"He (Shaw) hit me on the chest and arms. We were there just to take help of police. They were eight to ten people and we were just two.”
Accused #Sapnagill Version.
#PrithviShaw https://t.co/RDpPAEfzRl
Gill also denied claims that the argument broke out after Shaw refused a selfie. She stated:
"I do not know him, nor I have ever seen him. I never asked for a selfie with him. He was totally drunk. He was in front of a police station, he could have filed the FIR then only.”
Gill is a social media influencer and has over 225000 followers on Instagram.