HC quashes FIR against cricketer

[1]

The Delhi high court on Friday quashed the FIR against Australian cricketer Luke Pomersbach filed by American citizen Zohal Hamid for allegedly molesting her and physically assaulting her fiancé Sahil Peerzada.
Justice M.L. Mehta quashed the FIR and all criminal proceedings arising out of it against Pomersbach after he approached the high court along with the couple, saying they had reached an out-of-court settlement and wished to end the “unfortunate episode.”
Pomersbach, a player of IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), was arrested on May 18 for allegedly molesting Hamid and beating up Peerzada at their room in a five star hotel during the early hours of that day. He was later granted bail by the trial court.
The Delhi government opposed the joint plea of the trio seeking quashing of the FIR saying the alleged offence was serious and grave. The state’s standing counsel Pawan Sharma argued that any criminal case against a woman should not be allowed to be settled outside the court as it would amount to “misuse of the system.”
Justice Mehta, however, dismissed the government’s stand saying, “Since they have resolved the dispute and want to go back to their respective countries, I quash the FIR. Let them go back to their countries with happy memories.”
When the court asked Pomersbach to explain what led to the brawl between him and Peerzada in which both of them sustained injuries, the cricketer replied, “It just started like that. One issue led to another”. The accused also expressed his regret before the court for the whole incident.
Justice Mehta directed the investigating officer to release Pomersbach’s passport which was seized at the time of his arrest.