New Delhi: A new controversy has arisen amid the rain of runs on the grounds of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026). Rajasthan Royals’ newly appointed captain Riyan Parag is currently in the center of discussion, but not because of his batting, but because of an alleged viral video of the dressing room. During the match against Punjab Kings on Tuesday, the cameras focused on Ryan where he was allegedly seen ‘vaping’ (e-cigarette).

Can one be jailed under Indian law?

As soon as this matter came to light, the question started arising whether the young captain would have to go behind the bars? In fact, the Government of India has completely banned the sale, storage and use of e-cigarettes in the country under ‘The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019’.

According to legal experts:

First offence: If found guilty for the first time, the punishment can be imprisonment up to 1 year or a fine of Rs 1 lakh (or both).

Repeat offence: If the offense is repeated, the punishment may extend to 3 years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5 lakh.

Strict rules of BCCI and IPL

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has very strict rules to maintain discipline within the dressing room. BCCI has imposed a complete ban on consumption of tobacco and any products in the dressing room. If the allegations against Riyan Parag are proved, the board can impose a heavy fine on him as well as ban him for some matches.

Awaiting confirmation, suspense remains

The video is spreading like wildfire on social media, but the authenticity of this video has not been officially confirmed yet. Neither the BCCI nor the IPL Governing Council has issued any statement on this. It is also possible that the video may have been tampered with.

First such incident in cricket history?

This is the first time in the 19-year history of IPL that a player has been caught on camera smoking or vaping in a place like the dressing room. Earlier, a video of Kagiso Rabada of Gujarat Titans also came into discussion, but it was a scene of an open space outside the field.

At present, all eyes are on Rajasthan Royals camp and BCCI’s investigation. If this video proves to be true, it could be a big blow to Riyan Parag’s career.