‘Was polite with Luke… he punched me several times’

Investigating officials told Newsline that Pomersbach had admitted to being drunk at the time of the alleged incident on Friday morning and having a brawl with Peerzada,but denied that he had either assaulted the latter or molested Hamid. He told police he was invited by the couple to their room and that he had not barged in forcibly.

Peerzada claimed that Pomersbach had initially wanted to meet in his own room,but since he was tired,he had declined the offer. “I did not know that he would come with us. He took the same elevator and invited himself to our room. Within a few minutes,about five minutes or so,he started misbehaving. When I objected,he pushed. My friends also intervened and there was a brawl.”

Asked if the room was booked in the name of the Deccan Chargers group,Peerzada said a senior official of the franchise was his “good friend” and it had been booked in “good faith”.

Police said that cricketer K P Appanna,who was seen in the CCTV footage approaching Peerzada and Hamid’s room with Pomersbach following the alleged assault,recorded his statement on Monday.

“He came and his statement has been taken,” Additional Commissioner of Police K C Dwivedi said.

In her complaint at the Chankyapuri police station,Hamid had said a “skinny Indian guy” had come with Pomersbach and threatened her to withdraw her charge.

Police have also taken the statement of Peerzada’s friend Moiz who was present at the time of the incident. Another eyewitness,Miraj,is yet to appear before the police.

Commenting on Sidhartha Mallya’s tweet about Hamid,Peerzada said he knew Mallya and the latter was a “good person”. But he said,“One should not cast aspersions on another’s character.” Refusing to talk further about his relationship with Hamid,he said: “It is personal.”