Royal Challengers Bengaluru cricketer Yash Dayal has suffered a significant legal setback after a special POCSO court in Jaipur rejected his anticipatory bail plea in a case involving allegations of rape of a minor.
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Special POCSO Court No. 3 judge Alka Bansal held that the seriousness of the charges and the evidence available on record did not justify granting Dayal protection from arrest at this stage. The court observed that cases involving minors require a cautious approach and careful examination of the material collected during the investigation.
The case is based on an FIR registered at the Sanganer Sadar police station in Jaipur following a complaint by a local girl. The complainant has alleged that Dayal sexually exploited her for nearly two and a half years after promising to help her build a career in cricket. She claimed that the accused portrayed himself as an influential cricketer and used emotional manipulation to gain her trust.
According to the FIR, the alleged assaults took place at multiple locations, including hotels in Jaipur and Kanpur. Investigators have reportedly recovered chats, photographs, videos, call records, and hotel stay details, which the court said prima facie support the prosecution’s case. Judge Bansal noted that there was no indication at this stage that the accused had been falsely implicated and that the material pointed to possible involvement.
Arguing for Dayal, advocate Kunal Jaiman submitted that his client had only met the complainant in public places and never in isolation. The defence claimed that the complainant had presented herself as an adult and had accepted money from Dayal citing financial difficulties, before allegedly demanding more. The lawyer also argued that the complaint was filed to harass and extort a “respected cricketer,” referring to a related case in Ghaziabad as part of an alleged extortion conspiracy.
Opposing the plea, the special public prosecutor and counsel for the complainant argued that anticipatory bail should not be granted in a case involving a minor. Advocate Devesh Sharma, appearing for the victim, stressed that consent has no legal relevance under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Government counsel Rachna Maan further argued that the accused had allegedly lured the minor with false promises linked to her cricket career. After hearing both sides, the court ruled that anticipatory bail was not warranted, allowing the investigation to continue.
Does rejection of anticipatory bail mean Yash Dayal is guilty?
No. Rejection of anticipatory bail does not determine guilt. It only means the court found no grounds to grant pre-arrest protection at this stage of the investigation.
