Punjab Kings cricketer Shashank Singh has denied allegations of assault and wrongful confinement made by a domestic cook. The cricketer has claimed instead that the employee had entered private areas of the family’s home and recorded videos without permission, and hence was fired from his job.
Shashank and his father Shailesh Singh – a former IPS officer were earlier named in an FIR registered at Ratibad Police Station in Bhopal after their former cook, Vipendra Singh Tomar, accused them of physical assault, verbal abuse and confining him against his will.
Responding to the allegations, Shashank rejected the claims and questioned the timeline presented in the complaint.
“Nothing like that happened. A person who comes on the evening of the 25th and leaves on the morning of the 28th – how can you call that keeping someone hostage?” Shashank told PTI in an interview on Tuesday, June 30.
The cricketer also alleged that the cook had misrepresented his experience and later admitted he could not prepare the range of dishes he had initially claimed.
“The man came to us saying, ‘I know how to cook. I can prepare all kinds of food.’ But then he himself admitted that he actually didn’t know how to cook properly. So how can you trust a person like that?” he said.
SHASHANK SINGH HITS BACK AT ALLEGATIONS
Shashank further levelled allegations against the complainant, claiming the employee had recorded videos inside private sections of the family’s residence.
“He came into the house and started recording videos of bedrooms. He even entered the bedroom, where expensive and luxury items were kept, recorded videos there, and sent them to other people,” Shashank alleged.
The Punjab Kings batter said his interaction with the cook was minimal and largely limited to discussing his cooking background. According to Shashank, the cook had been recommended through an acquaintance of his father and had sought an advance payment shortly after arriving.
“He had come through one of my father’s friends, who recommended him saying that he knew how to cook all these dishes,” Shashank said.
“That’s why he was brought to the house, but as soon as he arrived, he demanded an advance payment of Rs 20,000.”
Shashank claimed his family had asked the cook to work for a few days before discussing compensation and deciding whether to continue the arrangement. The FIR against Shashank, his father and the family driver was registered following allegations by Tomar that he was assaulted after expressing his desire to leave the job. Police said an investigation is underway.
– Ends
