Relief for Jeetendra, Himachal Pradesh HC stays proceedings in sexual assault case

It’s a major relief for veteran Bollywood actor Jeetendra. The Himachal Pradesh High Court has stayed further proceedings in the sexual assault case registered against him at Women Police Station Shimla by his cousin. The police had registered the case on February 16 under the provisions of “outraging the modesty of a woman” after his cousin filed an online complaint made after 47 years alleging that she was sexually harassed by him in a hotel in Shimla in January 1971. As of now, the court has listed the matter for further hearing on May 23.

Jeetendra challenged the FIR claiming that the police had registered the same without any preliminary investigation or evidence. The actor had sought to reject of the FIR as he was neither questioned by the police nor he was provided with a copy of the FIR. His counsel also added that the allegations were false and it’s a conspiracy to malign the image of the actor.

While issuing a notice to the respondent in the matter, Court of Justice Mohan Goel directed the complainant to file a reply within four weeks. Meanwhile, further proceedings in the FIR registered at Women Police Station, Shimla, under Section 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of IPC, have been stayed.

Earlier in February this year, the woman had claimed that Jeetendra, who is her aunt's son, had arranged for her to join him from New Delhi to Shimla on the sets of a film he was shooting for in 1971. Apparently after reaching Shimla at night, the intoxicated actor went to her room, joined two twin beds and sexually assaulted her.

The complainant had told the police that all these years she remained silent because of her father. But now that he is no more, she finally gathered the courage to lodge a case against Jeetendra.