Team India cricketers are the inspiration for many a youngster. Growing up in India, a plethora of kids watch the players battle it out on the field. While not everyone carries the same amount of reach, many players become famous enough to reach every nook and corner of the country. With fame comes responsibility, something that the following Indian cricketers shied away from because of their altercation with the law.
Several Indian cricketers have broken the law – be it assault or protocol violation. Here we take a look at a few of them who had run-ins with the law and as a result, shattered their image in the public eye.
5) Navjot Singh Sidhu – Murder Charges
The happy-go-lucky former cricketer was charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder in a case of road rage. The victim was a Patiala resident, Gurnam Singh, who was allegedly beaten up by Navjot Sidhu in October 1998. He was taken to the hospital where he was declared brought dead.
Court cases followed and in 1999, Sidhu was acquitted by the court. Seven years later, the charges were brought up once again and this time, the court found him guilty and sentenced him to 3 years in prison. Sidhu appealed the verdict and the SC stayed his sentence but granted him bail. He went on to contest the Lok Sabha polls.
4) Amit Mishra – Assault Charges
The Delhi Capitals leg-spinner was arrested by the Bangalore police on charges of assault on a woman in a hotel room. He had arrived at the hotel prior to India’s series against South Africa in 2015. Amit Mishra was booked 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 offense.
Mishra was subjected to three hours of interrogation. Following the questioning, he was released on bail. The victim was actually a long-time friend of the cricketer. She was left shocked by the incident. This tainted his image in the media for a while. The 38-year-old is retired from international cricket but continues to play for Delhi Capitals in the IPL.
3) Vinod Kambli – Assault Charges
Kambli is the childhood friend of Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar. He is famous for sharing a 664-run partnership with Tendulkar in a school match. He had a short career but ended holds the record of having the highest average for an Indian batsman. In August 2015, Kambli and his wife were booked for assaulting their maid.
She had been working for the couple for nearly two years. After the incident, the maid went to the police alleging assault and wrongful confinement for three days. She was abused by the cricketer and his wife after she asked for her salary. An FIR was filed by the police and Kambli was booked under IPC sections 342, 34, 506, and 504.
2) Suresh Raina – Protocol Violation
The Chennai Super Kings top-order batsman was found guilty of violating covid-19 protocols in December 2020. Raina was attending a party at the Dragonfly club in Mumbai when the police raided the place. Along with him, 34 people were arrested, which included as many as 7 staff members.
The raid was conducted as the club functioned beyond permissible overs with the Covid norms in place. Singer Guru Randhawa was also arrested, and both Suresh Raina and he were released on bail. They were booked under sections 188, 269, and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). Raina also didn’t participate in the 2020 IPL citing issues with the stay in the hotel.
1) S Sreesanth – Spot-Fixing Scandal
The Indian pacer was extremely animated on the field. He didn’t hold back his emotions and was always ready to respond to any kind of sledging. He was part of the infamous slap-gate scandal with Harbhajan Singh. During IPL 2013, Sreesanth was found guilty of engaging with bookies and slapped with a life ban by the BCCI.
He spent around a month in Tihar jail before lack of proper evidence saw him get released. Sreesanth went on to appeal the verdict (life ban). BCCI Ombudsman DK Jain then released a statement to reduce Sreesanth’s ban to seven years instead. His ban was lifted on September 13, 2020, and he has played a few domestic games since.
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