Tuesday, 04 April 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Statements of victims being taken, accused to be questioned soon
Dehradun police are yet to question cricket coach Narendra Shah who is accused of sexual harassment, intimidation and use of casteist slurs against minor girls. A senior officer who is part of the team investigating the case said that Shah is still hospitalised and the police are carrying out the necessary process to take his statements soon. Some audio clips recently went viral on social media platforms in which Narendra Shah, a cricket coach and former convener of junior women cricket, is allegedly having indecent conversations with minor female cricket trainees of his academy. He allegedly attempted suicide by consuming poison at his Nehru Colony home on March 24 after the audio clips went viral.
On the complaint of the father of a minor girl who was allegedly harassed and abused by Shah, the police about a week ago registered a case against Shah in Nehru Colony Police Station under section 7/8 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and SC ST act. The police also received similar complaints from two other girls too regarding the alleged harassment and abuse by Shah. Shah’s health was initially critical and the police said they would wait for his health to get better.
However, it is being said that his health is currently stable but he is still avoiding meeting the cops. A senior officer investigating the case said that the police are presently taking statements of victims and making preparations to present them in the court. According to him, Shah was still hospitalised till late on Monday evening and he would be probed soon by the police. It is an ongoing investigation and the guilty party will be brought to justice, said the officer.
