A court denied bail to wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel on August 14, 2026 and remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody. The order is connected to a rape case that was registered after a medical student from Karnataka lodged a complaint on June 23, 2026. Porel represents Bengal in domestic cricket and Delhi Capitals in the IPL, and has also featured for India A.
The complainant alleged that Porel entered into a physical relationship with her after promising to marry her. According to the complaint, the two were together for roughly three-and-a-half years before differences emerged approximately one-and-a-half years ago. The allegations extend to physical and mental abuse, threats, and the misuse of private photographs and videos.
"There was a case lodged against him and a court order to arrest him. He was arrested late last night. He will be produced in court today," Hooghly (Rural) Superintendent of Police Kunar Bhushan Singh was quoted as saying by The Hindustan Times.
The case has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 69, along with the Information Technology Act. Porel remains in custody as the legal process continues.
How was Porel arrested and what happened in court initially?
Police arrested Porel in Hooghly on August 10-11, 2026, acting on a direction issued by the Calcutta High Court. The court also ordered the seizure of his electronic devices, including mobile phones and laptops, as part of the ongoing investigation, indicating that digital evidence is central to the inquiry.
When he was first produced before a court on August 11, 2026, his bail plea was rejected, and he was placed on a three-day police remand. His application was heard again on August 14, 2026, at which point the court declined to grant bail and ordered the 14-day judicial custody that is now in effect. A second accused, reported to be an associate of Porel, had not been apprehended at the time of the High Court hearing.
What is the next confirmed step in the legal proceedings?
The Calcutta High Court has scheduled its next hearing in the matter for September 14, 2026. No bail has been granted at any stage so far, and Porel will remain in judicial custody until the court takes up the case again on that date.
The court's earlier directions regarding the seizure of electronic devices suggest that investigators are examining digital material as part of building their case. The legal process is ongoing, and no outcome has been determined at this stage.