Aditya Pancholi Appears at Bombay High Court to Challenge Sexual Assault FIR
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Mumbai, February 24 (NationPress) - Actor Aditya Pancholi was present at the Bombay High Court for a hearing on Tuesday. This session marked the 28th review of his petition aimed at quashing the FIR related to an alleged rape case against him.
The case, initiated by a female actor in 2019, has led to ongoing legal proceedings. Pancholi refrained from commenting on the legal details, indicating that the court's decision would be revealed on March 4. His attorney, Prashant Patil, stated that the FIR for rape (IPC 376, among other charges) filed at the Versova police station in 2019 is being contested, with the next court appearance scheduled for March 4.
Patil mentioned to IANS, “The complainant in this matter is a female actor, while the accused is Aditya Pancholi. Today’s proceedings emphasized the request to annul the FIR. The public prosecutor, representing the police, noted that the victim has failed to engage in the investigation despite receiving 11 notices from the authorities.”
Following this, the High Court issued another notice today, instructing the complainant to appear on the next scheduled date. Notably, there has been contention surrounding this FIR, registered on June 27, 2019. The defense asserts that the complaint was lodged nearly 15 years post the alleged event, suggesting that the motives behind the filing are questionable. The petition cites the Supreme Court's 'Bhajan Lal' ruling to support the request for quashing the FIR.
“Prior to the FIR's registration, an individual met with Aditya Pancholi, and we possess a recording of that interaction, which we have presented in court. This evidence illustrates the flawed intentions behind the FIR and supports our case for its dismissal,” Patil explained.
On Tuesday, a lawyer representing the complainant requested additional time from the court to confer with his client and articulate their position. The case remains under judicial consideration, with the next hearing set for March 4, 2026.