Sessions Court extends Aditya Pancholi's interim relief from arrest

Mumbai: A sessions court in Dindoshi Wednesday extended interim relief from arrest to actor Aditya Pancholi in a case where a renowned actress has levelled charges of rape against him.

Sessions Judge H.B. Gaikwad adjourned hearing on the actor’s pre-arrest bail plea till September 9, after it was brought to the court’s notice that the intervention application — opposing Pancholi’s anticipatory bail plea – had been filed in the name of the sister of the complainant actress. Since her sister was not concerned with the rape case and the intervention application should have been filed in the complainant’s name, the lawyer representing the intervener requested the court to grant him some time to rectify the mistake and file an appropriate intervention application. Following this, the court deferred hearing on the actor’s pre-arrest bail plea till September 9, and extended interim relief from arrest granted to him.

The 54-year-old actor has been charged under sections 376 (rape), 328 (causing hurt by means of poison), 384 (extortion), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The Versova police filed a case of rape against him on the basis of the complainant actress’ statement. According to the statement, recorded on June 26, 2019, the incident took place nearly a decade ago. She alleged that Mr Pancholi kept her at different locations between 2004 and 2006 and forcibly tried to establish a relationship with her by spiking her drinks.

Pancholi claimed that he had been falsely implicated in the case.