New
Delhi, May 21: Four days after an American woman alleged she was
molested by Australian cricketer Luke Pomersbach, playing in the Indian
Premier League (IPL), the case took a new turn Monday with the cricketer
telling the police that he inadvertently touched the victim as he was
under the influence of alcohol, police sources said.
A
police officer claimed that Pomersbach, who plays for Royal Challengers
Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL, has confessed that he was under the
influence of alcohol and inadvertently touched the victim.
According
to the officer, the name of another IPL cricketer belonging to the RCB
team K.P. Appanna has also cropped up in the case as he was found
accompanying Pomersbach to the room of the victim.
"Appanna's
name came to light after he was seen in CCTV footage recovered from
Maurya Sheraton hotel where the American woman was molested during a
party," said the officer.
Police spoke to Appanna, a leg
spinner who plays for Karnataka in Ranji Trophy. But the cops have not
formally questioned him yet, said the officer.
The officer informed that they were yet to ascertain whether Appanna entered the room where the victim was staying.
Pomersbach
was arrested Friday after the victim Zohail Hamid alleged that he
molested her and hit her fiance Sahil Peerzada when he objected to the
cricketer's behaviour. Peerzada was punched in his ear following which
he had to undergo a surgery.
The official said that
Peerzada, who is a friend of RCB owner Siddhartha Mallya, was invited to
the post-match party at the hotel.
At the time of the incident, Peerzada was present along with his fiancee, his friends Moiz and Miraj, and Pomersbach.
Pomersbach misbehaved with Hameed in the party.
"When
she left the party along with Peerzada, she was followed by Pomersbach
and Appanna after a few minutes," said the official.
Appanna had come to ask whether Mallya was there in the room, the official said, adding Zohail had also corroborated this.
The official informed that they had recorded Moiz's statement too.
Zohail
had alleged in her complaint to police Friday that five to six members
of the IPL team had pressurised her to withdraw the case against
Pomersbach.
Police is not ruling out the possibility that she was pressurised to withdraw the complaint against Pomersbach.
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