Molestation row: Zohal to withdraw case against Luke

New Delhi: American woman Zohal Hamid on Wednesday night decided to withdraw molestation case against Australian cricketer Luke Pomersbach after both the parties reached an out of court settlement.

Zohal's lawyers will soon move the Delhi High Court seeking withdrawal of the case registered against Pomersbach who was arrested last Friday and later granted bail.

Pomersbach, is playing for Royal Challengers Banglore in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

She will also drop legal proceedings against RCB director Siddharth Mallya for casting aspersions on her character through tweets after she complained to police about molestation by the cricketer.

"Yes," Rajneesh Chopra, Hamid's lawyer told PTI in a text message when asked whether the American national was withdrawing case against Pomersbach and legal proceedings against Mallya.

In a late night Tweet siddharth Mallya said, "So glad that all charges have been dropped and Luke can return down under A FREE MAN!"

"I've always been a very loyal person who stands up for friends. The tweets/comments made were unfortunate, being the product of stressful circumstances and I realise people drew meaning and connotations other than and beyond what was intended against Zohal," he tweeted.

Royal Challengers player Luke Pomersbach was arrested last Friday after American national Zohal Hamid alleged he molested her and hit her fiance Sahil when he objected to the cricketer's behaviour. Pomersbach was arrested and a court granted him bail later.

The first indication to this out of court settlement came earlier in the day when Sahil's brother Feroz claimed they did not want to pursue the case.

Feroz said that Pomersbach should not have done what he did. "He should have respect for women. Luke has done a blunder. He should apologise and we should also forgive and forget.

"We don't want to pursue against Luke. We have not been pressurised by anyone. No one has approached us," he said. He also said they do not want to pursue a case against Mallya.

He also rebutted Zohal's claim that she was Sahil's fiancee. "Whatever happened was most unfortunate. Officially I am saying, Sahil is not engaged to Zohal," he said.