New Delhi:
A defamation notice has been reportedly sent to Sidhartha Mallya, director of the IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore, for his remarks on micro-blogging site Twitter in the molestation case involving one of his players Luke Pomersbach. Zohal Hameed, the US national who has alleged that Mr Pomersbach molested her at a five-star hotel in Delhi on Thursday night, has also reportedly lodged a complaint with the Delhi commission for women against Mr Mallya for his tweets on the incident.
After meeting Ms Hameed today, Barkha Singh, Chairperson of the Delhi commission for women and a Congress MLA, said, "What Sidhartha Mallya has said is appalling....We will issue a notice on Monday...Mr Mallya will have to respond within a week."
Ms Hameed has demanded an unconditional apology from Mr Mallya for his remarks. Mr Mallya, son of liquor baron Vijay Mallya, had tweeted in response to Ms Hameed's allegations yesterday afternoon, saying, "The girl who is accusing Luke is saying he hit her 'fiance'...what a load of fX#$%g s#$t. She was all over me last night and asked for me bbm pin, so if he was her fiance she wasn't exactly behaving like a future wife."
He also said on twitter, "If Luke is in the wrong, then trust me he will face the necessary sanctions. But what this girl is doing is idiotic."
When asked to explain his statements, Mr Mallya told NDTV that he was not questioning her character, he was "simply explaining the facts", and that his tweets were not derogatory. "I have nothing to apologize for," he said. He also said that he had not spoken to Mr Pomersbach. "I will do everything I can do defend my player," he said.
(Hear Sidhartha Mallya defend his tweets)
Vijay Mallya later told NDTV that his son is not a child and can defend himself. He also said that Mr Pomersbach will not play in the ongoing IPL tournament till the inquiry against the player is completed.
(Watch)Ms Hameed says that she was with her fiance at a party when they met the cricketer. She says the player later insisted on having a drink with her and her fiance and "tagged along" as they went back to their hotel room. When they refused and she tried to leave the hotel suite, she says the cricketer tried to grab her. When her fiance stepped in, the cricketer allegedly punched him. Ms Hameed's fiance is in a Delhi hospital where doctors said that he showed up with a bleeding ear.
Mr Pomersbach was arrested on Friday morning by the Delhi Police and granted interim bail. He said in court that it was Ms Hameed's fiance who attacked him.