Umar Akmal charged for run-in with police

Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal has been charged by Gulberg police in Lahore for allegedly misbehaving with a warden after committing a traffic violation. He has been booked under Section 186, 279 and 353 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Akmal was arrested and an FIR was registered for "obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions, rash driving or riding on a public way and assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty". He was released on "surety" bail after 12 hours in police detention but will have to appear before the Magistrate's Court.

Police said the 23-year-old Akmal did not stop at a traffic signal in the commercial Firdous market area in Lahore, and later engaged in a scuffle with a traffic warden.

Zahid Nawaz, the Assistant Superintendent of Police in Gulberg, briefed reporters about the incident. "Three wardens tried to stop him after he violated a traffic signal but he did not. And when he finally stopped, he scuffled with a warden and tore his uniform. Umar is under arrest and a case has been filed against him."

Akmal is charged on three bailable counts and faces a case which could lead up to a big fine or six months in prison. He denied the charges.

"The warden hit me on my face and you can see the wounds," he said. "I myself came to the police station with a request to control the wardens who misbehave with people and police have instead registered a case against me."

Nawaz denied the claims, saying: "I have done the inquiry and no such thing happened." ESPNcricinfo learned that the police asked Umar to apologise for the incident, but after the batsman refused, an FIR was lodged.