The Indian Premier League (IPL) defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), have confirmed that they will throw their weight behind pacer Yash Dayal, who is facing two FIRs alleging sexual harassment and exploitation. One of the two FIRs was filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. As far as the franchise is concerned, the circumstances constitute a “personal situation”, the higher-ups reportedly confirmed.
It was in November 2025 that RCB decided to retain their bowler.
“Just to confirm that Yash will not be joining up with the squad. As you know, he is going through a personal situation currently, and just to clarify, we have been very supportive of Yash to date, and that is reflected in the opportunity to either retain or release players,” RCB’s Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat, was quoted as saying during a media interaction.
Yash Dayal sexual exploitation charges
Barely a month after the high of winning the IPL, an FIR was registered against Royal Challengers Bengaluru pacer Yash Dayal for allegedly sexually exploiting a woman. The woman who filed the initial complaint alleged that she had been in a relationship with Dayal for the past five years. She was able to produce evidence, including screenshots of WhatsApp chats, video calls, and pictures, against the cricketer. She accused the 28-year-old of financial, mental, and physical exploitation under the guise of marriage.
The FIR was registered at Indirapuram police station on 6 July under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 69 (sexual intercourse by deceitful means, including a false promise of marriage), police sources said. It is a non-bailable offence that carries a potential sentence of 10 years' imprisonment. However, on 15 July, the Allahabad High Court ordered a stay on his arrest, while noting that a person involved in a relationship cannot be ‘fooled’ for five years.
Weeks after the first case was filed, the Jaipur police registered an FIR against Dayal, accusing him of sexually assaulting a minor in 2023. The complainant was 17 years old when the incident happened and alleged that she was raped in 2023 and 2025.
“She alleged that the cricketer had promised help and support in her career. He contacted her in April this year (2025) when he was in Jaipur for the IPL and called her to the hotel where he allegedly raped her again,” South First quoted a police source as saying.
Dayal has denied the allegations, with his counsel claiming that the complainants in both cases were in collusion and working an extortion racket, the report added.
