Punjab Kings (PBKS) batter Shashank Singh has strongly refuted the assault allegations made by his domestic cook, Vipendra Singh Tomar, calling the incident a pre-planned extortion attempt. In an interview with ANI on Sunday, Singh claimed that Tomar is a habitual offender with a criminal record involving multiple serious charges.
Cook's background revealed
Singh stated that Tomar, who was hired directly and not through a registered agency, had nine First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against him since 2018. These include charges of attempted murder, robbery, and house trespassing. According to Singh, Tomar has been convicted in four of those cases.
“FIR was registered on June 29, and the worker's background verification was done through the Gram Panchayat and local police. Although he had come to work for only a month and it was just his third day, it was found that he had nine FIRs registered against him since 2018. Charges included attempted murder, robbery and house trespassing, and he had already been convicted in four cases,” Singh told ANI.
Extortion calls after complaint
Singh further alleged that after the FIR was filed, he received phone calls demanding Rs 7 to 7.5 lakh in exchange for withdrawing the complaint. He refused to pay, asserting that the entire episode was a calculated move to extort money.
“It then became clear that this was a pre-planned act. I learnt that he was a habitual criminal who had come here with the intention of extorting money, believing that, as I am a public figure, he could easily extract a settlement. A few days later, I even received calls demanding Rs 7-7.5 lakh in exchange for withdrawing the FIR,” Singh said.
The cricketer also expressed concern for his family's safety, noting that his elderly parents often stay home alone. “The situation could have been far more dangerous, especially as my elderly parents often stay home alone. Fortunately, I was at home, and nothing more serious happened. I lodged a complaint with the police on July 1,” he added.
Singh files counter-complaint
In addition to denying the allegations, Singh filed a police complaint on July 1 regarding the theft of two silver Ganesh idols and other valuables from his residence. He submitted CCTV footage and other evidence but claimed that there has been no significant progress in the investigation.
“I lodged a complaint with the police on July 1,” Singh confirmed.
Cook's allegations
Last month, Tomar accused Singh, his father Shailesh Singh, and their driver of physical assault. He alleged that he was beaten, intimidated, and prevented from leaving the family's residence after he refused to continue working. Following Tomar's complaint, the Ratibad Police in Bhopal registered an FIR against the three individuals, charging them with assault, verbal abuse, and wrongful confinement.
The case has drawn significant attention due to Singh's status as a professional cricketer for Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Singh, however, maintains that he is the victim of a criminal conspiracy and has urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation into Tomar's background and the extortion demands.
