Australian IPL batsman Luke Pomersbach 27, who was suspended from the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) was arrested for allegedly molesting a US NRI and beating up her fiance. He was produced in court where he collapsed and was removed, and granted interim bail.

The victim claimed Pomersbach invited himself for drinks with the couple and common friends at the Maurya Sheraton Hotel in Delhi. She left the room and went to her bedroom to catch some sleep but Luke followed and misbehaved with her. When her fiance intervened Luke beat him up. He has been admitted to hospital where he is under treatment. Pomersbach denied that he trespassed and said he entered the victim's room with her consent.

A case has been registered against him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

RCB owner Vijay Mallya stated they will cooperate with authorities, and Luke will not be a part of the RCB until he is cleared of the charges.

IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla said the IPL had nothing to do with the case because the incident did not take place during any event organised by it.

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The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has banned Bollywood superstar and IPL cricket team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan from entering the Wankhede Stadium for five years, for pushing security guards, misbehaving with its officials, using abusive language and violating its rules.

The ban relates to Khan's skirmish with security and officials of the association after KKR's victory over the Mumbai Indians recently. The MCA president said his association is sending out a message that misbehaviour of any kind will not be tolerated and that the five year ban was a unanimous decision. The BCCI has been informed of the ban and a final decision is awaited.

Khan denied he had been drinking and misbehaved saying he reacted only after children including his own, were manhandled by security staff. He said he was provoked and refused to apologise. On the contrary he said staff at Wankhede Stadium were high-handed and misbehaved with the children including little girls, and that he deserves an apology.

MCA officials rubbished his version of the fracas, and Mumbai Police filed a non-cognisable offence against the superstar and three other people after a complaint was filed by Vikas Dalvi, the security guard.

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The 'Beau Sancy', a historic diamond coveted by kings, queens and princes for centuries, used to reinforce alliances between nations, and pawned to pay off royal debts, was sold for $9.5 million at Sotheby's In Geneva recently. It had been expected to fetch $2 to 4 million

The auction house called the diamond one of the most important historic diamonds ever to come to auction, reflecting its role in the fluctuating fortunes of Europe's royal families for over 400 years.

The 35 carat modified pear double rose cut diamond is from the mines in India near Golconda and was acquired by Nicolas de Harlay, Lord of Sancy in Constantinople in the 1500s. In 1604 it was bought for 75,000 livres by French king Henry IV for his wife Marie de Medici. The stone then exchanged hands and travelled through several countries before it returned to the estate of the house of Prussia, where it remained ever since.

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Starting June 1, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation will prohibit the sale or use of plastic products that could clog up the city's drainage system ahead of the monsoons to reduce the enormity of urban floods and reduce pollution levels.

The Corporation has urged traders and the public to refrain from using thermocol for packing and asked people not to dispose of plastic products in public places, streets, drains or water bodies. All companies have also been directed to comply with the rules, regarding manufacture, stocking, distribution of carrier bags and sachets. A charge will be imposed on carrier bags depending on their quality and size.

Violators of the ban will be penalised.

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The BCCI has suspended Pune Warriors' Mohnish Mishra; Kings XI Punjab's Shalabh Srivastava and Amit Yadav; Decan Chargers' T P Sudhindra and Abhinav Bali after their alleged involvement in spot-fixing was featured in an India TV sting that claimed to have exposed corruption in the cash-rich IPL. The decision was taken after a long tele-conference of top BCCI officials and members of the IPL's Governing Council. The matter was also referred to the President who after consideration decided to have a preliminary inquiry for which a commissioner has been appointed.

Pending the inquiry the five players have been suspended from all cricket activities with immediate effect.

THE IPL's Governing Council scrutinised video footage from the TV channel before taking the decision to suspend the players.

Srivastava 30, denied the allegation and threatened to take the TV channel to court.

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