Published Mar 30, 2026 | 1:10 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 30, 2026 | 1:10 PM
Yash Dayal.
Synopsis: RCB’s decision to retain cricketer Yash Dayal, despite the player facing two FIRs filed for sexual harassment, has sparked widespread criticism. The franchise decided to retain the medium pacer — though he will not figure in the playing XI — saying he has been facing a personal situation.
Indian Premier League (IPL) defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have said that the franchise will stand by cricketer Yash Dayal, facing two FIRs alleging sexual harassment and exploitation, describing his circumstances as a “personal situation”.
The announcement came in the run-up to the ongoing 19th season of IPL. Dayal, a left-arm fast-medium bowler who played for the team in 2024 and 2025, has taken 28 wickets in 29 matches.
“Just to confirm that Yash will not be joining up with the squad. As you know, he is going through a personal situation currently, and just to clarify, we have been very supportive of Yash to date, and that is reflected in the opportunity to either retain or release players,” Mo Bobat, the franchise’s Director of Cricket, said during a press conference ahead of the season’s opening match.
The “personal situation” that the team chose not to elaborate on was that the 28-year-old cricketer has been facing two cases of alleged sexual exploitation — including one filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
He has not played any competitive cricket since appearing in the IPL 2025 final and was also reportedly being barred from participating in the UP T20 League by the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) last year.
Meanwhile, activists raised concerns over a sports body and a sports team franchise downplaying a sexual assault allegation.
The first FIR was registered against Dayal on 6 July 2025 at Indirapuram Police Station in Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) under Section 69 (sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means or false promises to marry without the intention of fulfilling them, provided it does not constitute rape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The complainant alleged that Dayal had sexually exploited her on the pretext of marriage. She stated that the duo had met around five years ago, and Dayal promised to marry her.
She further claimed that Dayal repeatedly postponed fulfilling this promise, and that she later discovered he was involved with other women.
The FIR was registered after the woman made a complaint to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath through IGRS (integrated grievance redressal system) on 21 June, alleging that she was physically exploited by the cricketer.
However, on 15 July, the Allahabad High Court ordered a stay on his arrest, while noting that a person involved in a relationship cannot be ‘fooled’ for five years.
“You could have been fooled for 1 day, 2 days, 3 days…but 5 years…you are entering into a relationship for 5 years…one can’t be fooled for 5 years,” a division bench comprising Justices Siddhartha Varma and Anil Kumar orally observed while hearing Dayal’s petition challenging the FIR.
The case is still pending for a hearing at the Allahabad High Court.
Weeks after the first case came to light, Jaipur Police registered an FIR against him, accusing him of sexually assaulting a minor in 2023.
According to the station house officer (SHO) of the jurisdictional police station, the complainant was a 19-year-old aspiring cricketer who came into contact with Dayal two years ago. The woman claimed that Dayal allegedly promised to help in her cricketing career.
She alleged that the player raped her in 2023 when she was 17, and a similar assault took place in April 2025 at a hotel in the Sitapura area.
“She alleged that the cricketer had promised help and support in her career. He contacted her in April this year (2025) when he was in Jaipur for IPL and called her to the hotel where he allegedly raped her again,” the SHO had then said.
Dayal has denied the allegations, with his counsel claiming that the complainants in both cases were in collusion and that the player was being targeted by an extortion racket.
In December 2025, a Jaipur special POCSO court rejected Dayal’s plea for anticipatory bail, noting that cases involving minors require heightened caution and sensitivity.
In the order, Special POCSO Court No. 3 judge Alka Bansal said that the accused could not be granted protection from arrest before the investigation, considering the victim’s statement, the available evidence and the circumstances of the case.
Gender activists have raised concerns that sexual harassment allegations are being downplayed by sports bodies.
“Sexual harassment allegations are not ‘personal’ matters. The minimum ethical responsibility is to suspend the player from the term and withhold endorsement or payment until due legal process concludes,” said Brinda Adige, one such activist.
She further said that players and associations must set uncompromising examples through transparency, swift and victim-centred action.
“Across the world, we have seen huge, very big, fantastic players who have gone down because of sexual crimes that they have committed. Why is this any different? He may be a great player, but this is not the example he must set, nor can sports bodies set this example,” Adige said.
Activists have also expressed concerns about the delay in the investigation and ensuring justice for the alleged victims. “Pressure should be put on the police and courts to speed up the process,” said Tabassum Ara, coordinator with Vimochana, a non-profit organisation that helps women who are subjected to violence.
She added that sports bodies must adhere to due process and ethical standards, rather than siding with players or members on the basis of personal or professional associations.
Even as allegations against Dayal surfaced in July, RCB decided to retain the player in November 2025, a decision which triggered a wave of criticism online.
At the time, the franchise did not explain the decision. However, speaking last week, Bobat reiterated the management’s support for Dayal, suggesting that the retention itself reflected RCB’s stance. The Director also clarified that Dayal remains under contract. He was bought in 2024 for ₹5 crore.
Under the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s policy on prevention of sexual harassment, aligned with the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, complaints must be examined by an Internal Committee through a prompt and thorough inquiry.
Diageo, which had acquired control over United Spirits Limited (RCB’s previous owner), has such a committee in place. Team members undergo mandatory training and formally acknowledge the policy. However, no internal inquiry has been initiated in this instance.
While the matter is sub judice, the POSH framework does not bar employers from initiating internal inquiries alongside criminal proceedings. This raises questions about why no such process was undertaken by the franchise.
The notable silence from the sports fraternity is starkly different to another case that recently played out. Renowned artist and Kochi-Muziris Biennale co-founder Bose Krishnamachari had stepped down from his roles as president of the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) and a member of its Board of Trustees in January, reportedly following a sexual harassment complaint.
(Edited by Majnu Babu.)
