In February last year, a case was filed against Bollywood actor Jeetendra by his cousin for being sexually assaulted by him at a hotel in Shimla in 1971. The FIR was filed under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code at Women Police Station, Shimla on February 16, 2018. Now, the latest reports suggest that the Himachal Pradesh’s HC Justice Ajay Mohan Goel has quashed the allegations against the actor.
A report in DNA states, “Justice Ajay Mohan Goel Monday dismissed the FIR lodged on February 16 last year under section Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the IPC. The offence is punishable with maximum imprisonment of two years. In his 26-page judgment, Justice Goel found credible the actor's contention that the FIR was "mala fide" as the woman's daughter had been rejected in an audition by Balaji Motion Pictures Limited run by Jeetendra's family."
The High Court’s judgment, as reported by Indian Express states, “The alleged incident dates back to the month of January, 1971 and as there is an inordinate delay in filing the FIR. Further, as no explanation is there for such an inordinate delay in registration of the impugned FIR, the same deserves to be quashed and set aside, because inordinate delay in registration of FIR raises grave doubt about the truthfulness of allegations, as it loses the advantage of spontaneity and danger creeps in of the introduction of coloured version, exaggerated account or concocted story as a result of deliberations and consultations."
A report in DNA states, “Justice Ajay Mohan Goel Monday dismissed the FIR lodged on February 16 last year under section Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the IPC. The offence is punishable with maximum imprisonment of two years. In his 26-page judgment, Justice Goel found credible the actor's contention that the FIR was "mala fide" as the woman's daughter had been rejected in an audition by Balaji Motion Pictures Limited run by Jeetendra's family."
The High Court’s judgment, as reported by Indian Express states, “The alleged incident dates back to the month of January, 1971 and as there is an inordinate delay in filing the FIR. Further, as no explanation is there for such an inordinate delay in registration of the impugned FIR, the same deserves to be quashed and set aside, because inordinate delay in registration of FIR raises grave doubt about the truthfulness of allegations, as it loses the advantage of spontaneity and danger creeps in of the introduction of coloured version, exaggerated account or concocted story as a result of deliberations and consultations."
For those who don’t know, in her FIR, Jeetendra's cousin had mentioned that the veteran actor was the son of her aunt and that in January 1971, when the complainant was 18 years old, the actor allegedly made her join him on a movie set. The two then drove from New Delhi to Shimla and shared a room in Shimla with two separate beds. Later, a drunk Jeetendra joined the two beds and assaulted her with an intent to outrage her modesty.
Image Source : IMDb, MyNation