Chess professional's alleged stalker goes on hunger strike

A chess professional's alleged stalker has vowed to continue a hunger strike until he suffers significant health issues.

Shumsheer Singh Ghumman, 47, began his prison hunger strike on Thursday after alleging he was assaulted by two inmates while on remand in Melbourne's west.

The cafe owner denies stalking a young female chess professional for two years, including after she obtained a restraining order.

Ghumman has outlined his custody conditions to a magistrate.

Police allege Ghumman's actions twice coincided with the woman being detained briefly while travelling overseas.

Media reports of the man's bail application in September were followed by an alleged assault in Ravenhall Correctional Centre, his lawyer told the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday.

Michael Pena Rees said his client has type-2 diabetes but has refused food after the incident was "reported and nothing was done".

"He's communicated his intention to complete the hunger strike until significant medical issues occur with him,"

the lawyer said.

Ghumman had been put into solitary confinement and only let out for one hour a day in handcuffs, Mr Pena Rees said.

"The prison is not complying with their own policy on hunger strikes," Ghumman, appearing via video link from prison, told the court.

"I'm left in a cell. There's a policy in place that they're not adhering to."

His lawyer also complained about access to clean clothes and contact with other people, particularly his father.

Ghumman was seen writing on a piece of paper during the hearing before he entered not guilty pleas to each of his 35 charges.

They include stalking, intimidation, attempting to pervert the course of justice and possessing a pair of nunchucks.

Allegations of cross-continental stalking

Ghumman allegedly stalked the professional chess player, aged in her 20s, between April 2024 and May 2026.

The woman obtained an intervention order against Ghumman in March 2025 but he allegedly continued to stalk her.

Police alleged Ghumman emailed officials in Qatar about the woman, leading to her detention when she arrived at Doha International Airport.

The woman was again detained after Ghumman allegedly contacted the Icelandic Chess Federation.

The accused stalker also allegedly threatened to use artificial intelligence to surveil the woman and scrape her data from the dark web.

Ghumman was arrested at his Burnley cafe in Melbourne's east on May 1.

The Victorian Supreme Court rejected his bid for bail on September 23.

He will appear before the Victorian County Court for a mention on November 10.