Minor rape case: Prayag Utd fires accused, East Bengal stands by its player

The two famous Kolkata-based clubs have taken contrasting courses in dealing with the two footballers who were arrested for allegedly gangraping a 14-year-old girl in West Bengal

While United SC today terminated the contract of Baldeep Singh, East Bengal have decided to stand by Jagpreet Singh.u00a0The duo was accused of rape along with another player Jaspal Parmar, a former India international and ex-East Bengal defender.

The police on Monday night arrested Jagpreet and his cook Ravi Singh while Jaspal and Baldeep are absconding.

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A Barrackpore sub-divisional court today remanded Jagreet and cook Ravi Singh to a 14-day judicial custody. "We have terminated Baldeep's contract with immediate effect. Till he's proven innocent, his contract remains null and void," United SC director Nawab Bhattacharya told PTI.

East Bengal on the other hand contested the rape allegations, saying that Jagpeet was present with the team during their I-League match against Pune FC on Monday afternoon when the incident is alleged to have taken place. "Jagpreet was with the team at the stadium. How can he be involved in the incident? These are false allegations. We will not take any action till he's proven guilty. Even the medical report has not yet come," EB general secretary Kalyan Majumdar told PTI.

A former India midfielder who was with Churchill Brothers last season, Jagpreet joined the club this season but was yet to play a match under the red and gold banners.

Jaspal Parmar, on the other hand, had joined East Bengal from Salgaocar, but had asked for release about two-three weeks back, East Bengal media manager Gautam Roy said.

"Parmar is no more with us. We are not concerned about him," Roy said.

A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by four persons, including the three footballers, at their apartment in a north Kolkata highrise. The girl's father has lodged a complaint alleging that four persons raped his daughter at Diamond City North residential complex near Nagerbazar.u00a0

The footballers' cook, Ravi Singh, allegedly took the girl to the second-floor flat on Monday afternoon to help in cleaning up. When the girl returned home on Monday evening, she complained of feeling unwell and then told them of her plight.u00a0

The victim's neighbours and relatives rushed to the apartment and beat up the four accused. A team from Dum Dum police station subsequently arrested Jagpreet and Ravi.