Abhishek Porel granted bail after more than a month in custody in alleged rape case

The Chinsurah court granted bail to Delhi Capitals wicketkeeper-batter Abhishek Porel on September 18, 2026, bringing to an end 36 days of judicial custody. Porel, 23, had been taken into custody on August 11, 2026, after a medical student from Karnataka lodged a complaint against him at Mogra police station on June 23, 2026, alleging rape and criminal intimidation.

According to reports, the complainant described a relationship of roughly three and a half years with Porel, during which they had reportedly discussed marriage and made plans for international travel together. She further alleged that Porel subsequently denied the relationship altogether. The case was registered under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita alongside Sections 311 and 318 of the same code, as well as Sections 66 and 72 of the Information Technology Act.

The Calcutta High Court had earlier directed police to arrest Porel and take possession of his electronic devices. When he first appeared before a lower court, bail was refused and he was remanded to judicial custody. Police also took into custody one of Porel's friends and a woman as part of the same investigation. An earlier dispute between the complainant and Porel, roughly a year and a half before the June 2026 complaint, had drawn police attention, though the matter concluded without a formal complaint being lodged. Porel has consistently denied every allegation made against him.

What does the bail mean for Porel's cricket career?

Porel made his IPL debut for Delhi Capitals in 2023 and has featured in 35 matches across all IPL seasons, accumulating 769 runs at an average of 25.63 and a strike rate of 145.37, with four half-centuries to his name. In the 2026 IPL season specifically, he managed 108 runs across four innings for the franchise.

At the domestic level, Porel made his first-class debut for Bengal during the 2021-22 season and has since gone on to represent the state in 32 first-class matches and 23 List A games. Despite that record, he was left out of the Bengal squad for the 2026-27 domestic season ahead of his arrest. Whether he returns to competitive cricket at any level will depend on how the ongoing legal proceedings develop and what decisions the relevant cricket boards choose to take.

What is the next confirmed step in the legal proceedings?

Bail from the Chinsurah court means Porel is no longer in judicial custody, but the charges framed against him remain active, and the case continues through the judicial process. The charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act stand as registered, and the matter is expected to be heard further in the weeks ahead.

The specific conditions attached to the bail order and any monetary bail amount have not been disclosed in available reports. The case will now proceed through the court system, and further developments will emerge as hearings are scheduled.