Calcutta High Court Orders Arrest Of Cricketer Abhishek Porel In Rape Case, For Alleged Blackmail With Private Photos
The Calcutta High Court has directed the immediate arrest of Bengal and Delhi Capitals cricketer Abishek Porel and another accused in connection with a criminal case registered on the complaint of a medical student alleging rape, criminal intimidation and other serious offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The Court also ordered the immediate seizure of all electronic...
The Calcutta High Court has directed the immediate arrest of Bengal and Delhi Capitals cricketer Abishek Porel and another accused in connection with a criminal case registered on the complaint of a medical student alleging rape, criminal intimidation and other serious offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The Court also ordered the immediate seizure of all electronic devices belonging to the accused to safeguard the complainant's privacy and prevent the circulation of her intimate photographs and videos.
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya passed the directions while hearing a petition arising out of Mogra Police Station FIR No. 346 of 2026. The matter concerns allegations that the accused established a physical relationship with the complainant on the promise of marriage, secretly recorded intimate photographs and videos, and subsequently used those materials to blackmail and threaten her. The FIR also invokes several other serious non-bailable offences under the BNS.
During the hearing, counsel for the complainant submitted that despite the gravity of the allegations, the investigating agency had not seized the accused's mobile phones and other electronic devices, creating a real apprehension that the complainant's private images could be disseminated. They further contended that the failure to secure the electronic evidence was hampering the investigation.
Significantly, no one appeared on behalf of the accused at the hearing. Taking note of the submissions, Justice Bhattacharyya directed the Officer-in-Charge of Mogra Police Station to urgently apprehend the accused persons and immediately seize their electronic devices, including mobile phones and laptops, to ensure that no objectionable material relating to the complainant is circulated.
The Court also directed the investigating agency to place a report on record detailing the steps taken in compliance with its directions. The matter has been listed for further hearing on August 11, 2026.
Case: X v State of WB