Cricketer Abhishek Porel, who represented the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League and West Bengal in national-level tournaments, was arrested by the West Bengal police on Tuesday (August 11, 2026) after a woman accused him of using a false promise of marriage to have sexual relations with her.
The survivor, a Karnataka-based medical student, lodged the FIR against the wicketkeeper-batsman at Mogra police station in Hooghly district on June 23. She has accused him of rape, making death threats, forceful confinement, abuse, and cheating.
“He was arrested in Emami City on Monday (August 10, 2026) night based on the Calcutta High Court’s July 21 direction to take him into custody immediately and also to seize his electronic devices. He was produced before the district session court on Tuesday and has been remanded to three days of police custody,” Superintendent of Police, Hooghly (Rural) Kunwar Bhushan Singh told The Hindu.
According to the police, the woman alleged that she met Mr. Porel in 2023 and had been in a relationship for three and a half years. Recently they had started planning to get married.
Rape, and death threats’
“However, a few months ago the accused took her to his flat in Hooghly while his parents were away and allegedly raped her. The victim also alleged that he recorded intimate moments without her consent. Later in April, Mr. Porel also allegedly confined her to an apartment in Delhi and assaulted her severely when she objected. The victim was taken to the hospital after the alleged abuse,” Suman Bogi, Inspector at Mogra Police station said.
After the incident, the woman refused to see him anymore and ended communications with him. Meanwhile, the cricketer allegedly started sending her death threats via phone calls, messages, social media, and a third-party number.
The victim lodged the FIR against him at Mogra police station on June 23 under sections 64(1), 66, 69, 74, 75(2), 79, 115(2), 117(2), 124(1), 127(2), 109, 308(2), 351(2), 351(3), 316(2), 318(3), 61(2), 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and also sections 66E, and 72 of the IT Act, police said.
Meanwhile, the victim moved the Calcutta High Court demanding his immediate arrest. On July 21, Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya directed the police to immediately trace the accused, arrest him, and seize his devices.
Obnoxious data
The court also observed that the data stored on his devices is obnoxious, and the police must ensure that he cannot share them with anyone else. As per the Court’s order, the police, on Monday night, also searched his apartment in Hooghly and seized a variety of electronic devices, including pen drives and a laptop.
Mr. Porel has previously played for the India A team during overseas tours to the United Kingdom and Australia. He drew attention with his performances in domestic tournaments and was selected by the Delhi Capitals in 2023 to replace Rishabh Pant. He was also later retained by the franchise.
He has refuted all allegations listed in the FIR. While acknowledging the relationship, he said the woman had distanced herself from him.
