Cricketer Yash Dayal, currently playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League, has received a major relief from the Allahabad High Court, which has granted a stay on his arrest in a sexual exploitation case filed against him in Ghaziabad. The case, which has drawn public attention, involves serious allegations made by a woman who claims Dayal deceived her for over five years under the pretext of marriage.

During the hearing, a division bench comprising Justice Siddhartha Verma and Justice Anil Kumar made strong oral observations. The court remarked, "You can be fooled for a day, two days, three days... but not for five years. One cannot be fooled for five years." The comment came as the judges questioned the nature and duration of the alleged relationship between Dayal and the complainant.

The 27-year-old cricketer approached the High Court after an FIR was filed on July 6 at Indirapuram police station in Ghaziabad under Section 69 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to sexual intercourse by deception. According to the woman’s complaint, she and Dayal had known each other for nearly five years, during which he allegedly promised marriage and maintained a physical relationship with her. She later discovered, she claims, that Dayal was also involved with other women and had no intention of marrying her.

The complaint was initially filed via the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's Online Grievance Redressal Portal (IGRS) on June 21, after which the FIR was formally registered. In response, Yash Dayal filed a writ petition in the Allahabad High Court seeking both a stay on his arrest and the quashing of the FIR.

With the court granting interim protection to Dayal from arrest, the case will now proceed for further hearings, during which the court is expected to closely examine both the nature of the allegations and the evidence presented. The High Court's strong observations have already set the tone for a critical look into the claim of prolonged deception in a long-term relationship.