Overview
- Das appeared at Inner London Crown Court on Friday and was released on conditional bail with a five-day trial fixed to start on January 10, 2028.
- He faces two counts of rape linked to alleged incidents in Brixton in March 2024 and was arrested by the Metropolitan Police in August 2025 before being formally charged in July 2026.
- Essex suspended Das after charges were brought and confirmed his playing contract ended prior to the close of the 2026 season, saying the contract decision was separate from the criminal proceedings.
- Judge Freya Newbery told the court it was 'overwhelmed' by new cases, a comment courts cited as a reason for the multi-year gap between the alleged offence and the trial.
- The prolonged timetable leaves both the alleged victim and Das waiting for a contested hearing and increases scrutiny on club safeguarding, regulator coordination, and the wider impact of court delays on high-profile cases.