Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw has strongly denied allegations of molestation made against him by a social media influencer, labeling her complaint as "frivolous" and a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation. Shaw submitted his formal reply before a sessions court in Mumbai's Dindoshi on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.
The Background of the Legal Dispute
The case originates from an incident in early 2023. The woman was arrested in February 2023 based on a complaint filed by Shaw. The cricketer had alleged that she and a male friend were involved in an attack on him after he objected to being filmed without his consent at a pub in Mumbai.
After securing bail in that case, the woman made a counter-allegation. She claimed that Shaw had outraged her modesty during the same argument at the pub. When the police did not register a First Information Report (FIR) based on her complaint, she approached a magistrate's court.
Court Proceedings and Police Findings
The magistrate had ordered a preliminary inquiry under the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to determine if there was enough evidence to proceed. Following this probe, the police submitted a report in June 2023 stating that no evidence was found to support the claim that Shaw had committed any offence against the woman.
Unsatisfied with this outcome, the woman then filed a revision application before the sessions court, challenging the decision not to prosecute Shaw. It is this application that prompted Shaw's detailed reply this week.
Shaw's Legal Defense and Allegations
In his response, Shaw's legal team has vehemently contested the revision application. His lawyer stated, "The present Criminal Revision Application is false, frivolous, vexatious and filed with the sole intention to malign, defame and harass the respondent by misusing his public image and celebrity status."
Shaw's reply further accuses the complainant of exploiting gender stereotypes. It argues that after her release from jail, she "chose to file the present complaint by playing womanhood card" as a retaliatory move against the original FIR filed by Shaw. The document describes her accusations as a "belated afterthought" and a "concocted version made with oblique motives."
A significant point raised in the reply highlights the differing public profiles of the individuals involved. It notes, "The respondent being a well-known cricketer and the applicant being a struggling actor…the present act has been committed to extort handsomely from the respondent by implicating him in a false complaint."
The court has scheduled the next hearing in this matter for March 31. The legal battle continues as both sides present their arguments, with Shaw seeking dismissal of what he calls a vendetta-driven case.
