Court stays proceedings against actor Jeetendra

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, March 17

In an interim relief to veteran actor Jeetendra, the High Court today stayed the proceedings in an FIR registered against him for allegedly sexually harassing a woman 47 years ago at a hotel in Shimla while he was here for film shooting.

Passing this order, Justice Ajay Mohan Goel has issued a notice to the state and listed the matter for further hearing on May 23.

The court passed the order on a petition filed by the actor contending that the case was a gross abuse of the process of law. It was further contended in the petition that there was an attempt to blackmail the actor for some illicit gains or favours.

It contended that the present case related to 1971 as per the FIR, that is more than 47 years old, and the case had been registered under Section 354 IPC. The petitioner alleged: "It is surprising that how come the police registered the case after 47 years when they are so reluctant to register cases in day-to-day course of business."

It was also alleged by the actor that the copy of the FIR was also not given to him. There was no reason given as to why the complainant had taken 47 years to register the case and what was the instant motivation. The petition stated that completely false and frivolous allegations had been levelled against him by his cousin.

The petitioner has urged the court to quash the FIR registered on February 16 at the Women Police Station, Shimla.

Actor's plea in sexual harassment case

• Jeetendra contended in a petition that it was a case where there was an attempt to blackmail the actor for some illicit gains or favours
• It further contended that the present case related to 1971 that is more than 47 years back. There was no reason given as to why the complainant had taken 47 years to register the case and what was the instant motivation
• It was contended in the petition that completely false and frivolous allegations had been levelled against him by his cousin sister