Shami's wife accuses him and family of attempted murder

Criminal charges have been filed against India fast bowler Mohammed Shami by his wife Hasin Jahan, accusing him and his family of attempting to kill her by giving her a heavy dose of sleeping pills. In a first information report (FIR), which was filed last Friday in Kolkata, Jahan has also accused her brother-in-law Hasib Ahamed of raping her.

Jahan filed the FIR in the Jadavpur Police Station in Kolkata, pressing various criminal charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). According to Praveen Tripathi, Joint Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, charges under the following IPC sections were pressed against Shami and his family: section 307 (attempt to murder), 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc. with intent to commit an offence), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

According to Tripathi, who is the head of the detective division of the Kolkata Police which is handling the case, Jahan had alleged that Shami and his family had attempted to kill her last December. "She has complained sleeping pills were given to her in a huge quantity and they were trying to kill her," Tripathi told ESPNcricinfo. "Section 328 concerns [an instance where] someone gives you a drug or something similar with the purpose of hurting you. Section 506 is threatening a person. And Section 34 is pressed when more than three to four people are planning to do a serious cognizable offence with a common intention."

Tripathi pointed out another serious allegation under section 376 of the IPC, which constitutes rape, was filed against Shami's elder brother Ahamed.

Tripathi said the police are now verifying the evidence in hand, and have asked Jahan to provide any further proof she might have to validate the allegations. Tripathi confirmed that the police had not yet contacted Shami. "We are verifying the allegations and collecting the evidence right now," Tripathi said.

The BCCI has decided to wait for the police investigation to conclude before taking a call on Shami's contract, which is on ice, as well as taking a call on whether he can be considered for selection to play in domestic and international cricket.