Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh on Sunday, 12 July publicly addressed a criminal complaint filed against him and his father in Bhopal, alleging that the case was orchestrated as an extortion attempt to exploit his reputation as a professional cricketer. In a detailed social media post, Singh described the First Information Report (FIR) as a 'tool of harassment' rather than a genuine grievance.

Background: The FIR and the Assault Allegation

Last month, Shashank Singh and his father, retired Special Director General (DG) of Police Shailesh Singh — a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer with 39 years of service — were booked by the Ratibad police in Bhopal. A cook who had been employed at their residence accused the two of assault, verbal abuse, and forcibly seizing his mobile phone. The complaint drew immediate public attention given Shashank's high-profile status as an IPL player.

Singh, however, maintained that the complainant left their home 'completely fine' and that the injuries shown in a subsequent video came as a shock to the family. 'We were shocked when we later saw him in the video, because he had left our home completely fine,' he wrote.

Singh's Extortion Claim

The cricketer alleged that the complainant had entered their home with dishonest intentions from the outset, and that filing a false FIR was a calculated move to extract money. 'I believe the plan was to create pressure on me by filing a false FIR, expecting that I would pay money to protect my reputation as a public figure. In my view, the FIR was used as a tool of extortion rather than a genuine complaint,' Singh stated in his post.

He also revealed that the individual was found wandering inside the house and photographing the interiors, forwarding the images to contacts Singh described as possible 'accomplices.' The cook was dismissed on the third day, according to Singh's account.

Prior Criminal Record of the Complainant

Singh disclosed that police records subsequently revealed the complainant had 9 FIRs previously registered against him and had been charge-sheeted in 8 cases for offences including attempt to murder, house theft, assault, house-trespass, extortion by causing hurt, criminal intimidation, obscene acts, and offences under the SC/ST Act. He was reportedly using three different names to conceal his identity.

'As more facts came to light, I came to believe that he had never entered our home with honest intentions,' Singh wrote.

Questions on Police Process and Media Reporting

Shashank expressed concern over the speed with which the FIR was registered without, he said, hearing the family's version of events. 'Where genuine victims often struggle to get an FIR registered even for heinous crimes, one was registered against me and my family without hearing our side or questioning us,' he noted.

He also denied media reports linking him to a separate alleged incident on 30 April 2026, pointing out that he was actively participating in an IPL match on that date — a claim he said a basic fact-check would have confirmed. 'This reminded me how easily reputations can be damaged when rumours are treated as facts and verification is sacrificed for headlines,' he added.

Advice and Takeaways from Singh

Concluding his post, Shashank urged households to exercise caution when hiring domestic staff. 'Never let sympathy replace common sense. Always hire domestic help only through a registered agency after proper police verification,' he wrote. He added that the episode had changed him permanently, calling it a 'first-of-its-kind' experience for his family.

The case remains active, with the matter yet to be adjudicated. How the Bhopal police and courts respond to Singh's counter-claims — particularly the prior criminal record of the complainant — will determine the next phase of this controversy.