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Melbourne Man Accused of Stalking Chess Professional Begins Prison Hunger Strike - Melbourne, VIC
Smart summary
Shumsheer Singh Ghumman, 47, has reportedly refused food in prison after alleging he was assaulted by fellow inmates. He has pleaded not guilty to 35 charges, including stalking and intimidation.
A 47-year-old Melbourne man accused of stalking a professional chess player has begun a hunger strike while being held on remand, telling a court that prison authorities have not adequately addressed his complaints about conditions in custody.
Shumsheer Singh Ghumman reportedly began refusing food on Thursday after alleging he had been assaulted by two inmates at Ravenhall Correctional Centre in Melbourne’s west. His lawyer, Michael Pena Rees, raised the matter during a hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday. According to the lawyer, Ghumman had reported the alleged assault but believed that no appropriate action had been taken. The lawyer told the court that his client intended to continue the hunger strike until he developed significant medical problems.
The court also heard concerns about Ghumman’s conditions in custody, including claims that he had been placed in solitary confinement, was allowed out of his cell for only one hour a day while handcuffed, and had limited access to clean clothing and contact with other people.
Ghumman, appearing by video link from prison, told the court that prison authorities were not complying with their own hunger-strike policy. These statements were allegations made during the hearing; they do not independently establish that prison procedures were breached.
The case centres on allegations that Ghumman stalked a female professional chess player, who is in her twenties, between April 2024 and May 2026. Police allege the conduct continued despite the woman obtaining an intervention order against him in March 2025.
Investigators have also alleged that his actions extended overseas. According to police allegations communications sent to officials in Qatar were followed by the woman being detained when she arrived at Doha International Airport. A separate alleged incident involved contact with the Icelandic Chess Federation, after which the woman was reportedly detained again.
The charges against Ghumman include stalking, intimidation, attempting to pervert the course of justice and possessing nunchucks. He entered not-guilty pleas to all 35 charges during the proceedings. The Victorian Supreme Court rejected his application for bail on 23 September 2026, leaving him in custody while the case progresses. Ghumman, a café owner who was arrested at his business in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs on 1 May, denies the stalking allegations.
His next scheduled court appearance is a mention at the Victorian County Court on 10 November 2026. A mention is generally a procedural hearing used to manage the progress of a case, rather than a full trial. The allegations have attracted attention because police say the alleged conduct continued over an extended period and involved communications across international borders. However, the accusations remain allegations, and Ghumman is entitled to have the charges determined through the court process.
The immediate issue raised at Monday’s hearing was his reported hunger strike and complaints about prison conditions. The legal case itself remains unresolved, with the next court date scheduled for November.
CourtGhummanAllegationsPrisonMelbourne
A 47-year-old Melbourne man accused of stalking a professional chess player has begun a hunger strike while being held on remand, telling a court that prison authorities have not adequately addressed his complaints about conditions in custody.
Shumsheer Singh Ghumman reportedly began refusing food on Thursday after alleging he had been assaulted by two inmates at Ravenhall Correctional Centre in Melbourne’s west. His lawyer, Michael Pena Rees, raised the matter during a hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday. According to the lawyer, Ghumman had reported the alleged assault but believed that no appropriate action had been taken. The lawyer told the court that his client intended to continue the hunger strike until he developed significant medical problems.
The court also heard concerns about Ghumman’s conditions in custody, including claims that he had been placed in solitary confinement, was allowed out of his cell for only one hour a day while handcuffed, and had limited access to clean clothing and contact with other people.
Ghumman, appearing by video link from prison, told the court that prison authorities were not complying with their own hunger-strike policy. These statements were allegations made during the hearing; they do not independently establish that prison procedures were breached.
The case centres on allegations that Ghumman stalked a female professional chess player, who is in her twenties, between April 2024 and May 2026. Police allege the conduct continued despite the woman obtaining an intervention order against him in March 2025.
Investigators have also alleged that his actions extended overseas. According to police allegations communications sent to officials in Qatar were followed by the woman being detained when she arrived at Doha International Airport. A separate alleged incident involved contact with the Icelandic Chess Federation, after which the woman was reportedly detained again.
The charges against Ghumman include stalking, intimidation, attempting to pervert the course of justice and possessing nunchucks. He entered not-guilty pleas to all 35 charges during the proceedings. The Victorian Supreme Court rejected his application for bail on 23 September 2026, leaving him in custody while the case progresses. Ghumman, a café owner who was arrested at his business in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs on 1 May, denies the stalking allegations.
His next scheduled court appearance is a mention at the Victorian County Court on 10 November 2026. A mention is generally a procedural hearing used to manage the progress of a case, rather than a full trial. The allegations have attracted attention because police say the alleged conduct continued over an extended period and involved communications across international borders. However, the accusations remain allegations, and Ghumman is entitled to have the charges determined through the court process.
The immediate issue raised at Monday’s hearing was his reported hunger strike and complaints about prison conditions. The legal case itself remains unresolved, with the next court date scheduled for November.
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