Punjab Kings cricketer Shashank Singh has denied allegations of assault and wrongful confinement made by a former domestic cook, claiming instead that the employee was dismissed for entering private areas of the family home and recording videos without permission.
Shashank and his father, Shailesh Singh, a former IPS officer, were named in an FIR registered at Ratibad Police Station in Bhopal after the cook, Vipendra Singh Tomar, accused them of physical assault, verbal abuse, and unlawfully confining him.
Responding to the allegations, Shashank rejected the claims and questioned the complaint's timeline.
“Nothing like that happened. A person who arrives on the evening of June 25 and leaves on the morning of June 28 cannot be described as being held hostage,” he told PTI.
He also alleged that the cook had exaggerated his cooking abilities and later admitted he lacked the skills he had initially claimed.
“The man told us he could cook all kinds of dishes, but later admitted he did not know how to cook properly. How can you trust someone like that?” Shashank said.
The cricketer further accused the employee of recording videos inside private areas of the family residence, including bedrooms where valuable belongings were kept, and sharing those videos with others.
According to Shashank, the cook had been hired on the recommendation of a friend of his father and requested an advance payment shortly after joining.
“He came through one of my father’s acquaintances, who said he was an experienced cook. But soon after arriving, he asked for an advance of ₹20,000,” Shashank said.
He added that the family had planned to assess the cook’s work for a few days before discussing salary and deciding whether to continue employing him.
The FIR against Shashank, his father, and the family driver was filed after Tomar alleged that he was assaulted when he expressed a desire to leave the job. Police have said the matter remains under investigation.
