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FIR against ex-cricketer: CFSL report inconclusive, Haryana Police told HC
The Haryana Police told the Punjab and Haryana high court that the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Chandigarh, report in the case of former cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who was booked for alleged casteist remarks by the Hansi police, remained ‘inconclusive’
The Haryana Police told the Punjab and Haryana high court that the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Chandigarh, report in the case of former cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who was booked for alleged casteist remarks by the Hansi police, remained ‘inconclusive’.
In a report to the HC, the Haryana Police said that the CFSL could not form any opinion regarding authenticity of the video recording supplied by the complainant as the original video was not available. The original source of recording of the device could also not be supplied to the CFSL.
Response was sought in a plea filed by the former cricketer in February seeking quashing of the FIR.
The FIR was registered on February 14, eight months after the ex-cricketer apologised for the “unintentional remarks” made during an Instagram live video in April 2020 during lockdown.
The FIR was registered on complaint of one Rajat Kalsan, of Hansi, under Sections 153-A (promoting enmity) and 153-B (assertions prejudicial to national-integration) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes Prevention and Atrocities Act, 1989.
Police said the investigation is at its initial stage and the offence committed by the former cricketer are cognisable in nature and non-bailable.
He did not join the probe and quashing of the FIR at this stage will cause grave prejudice to the investigating agency as the offence committed by the petitioner is an offence “committed against the state.”
The HC, on February 25, has already asked the police to not to take any coercive action against the former cricketer. Now the case stands adjourned for April 28.
“The remark was misunderstood and was widely shared on the social media, triggering outrage,” Yuvraj had told court, adding that the live session happened in April 2020 and in June, the video started circulating with allegations that he disrespected the Dalit community as he addressed two of his colleagues as “Bhangi”.
“Even after an apology, an FIR was registered against him,” the plea stated, adding that all this was done in an attempt to harm his reputation even as he had addressed his colleagues in a “friendly manner”.
