State given six weeks to reply on Jeetendra’s plea

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, May 23

The High Court on Wednesday granted six weeks to the state government on a petition filed by actor Jeetendra for quashing an FIR registered against him for allegedly sexually harassing a woman 47 years ago at a hotel in Shimla while he was here for the shooting of a film.

While passing this order, Justice Ajay Mohan Goel has listed the matter for further hearing on July 4. In its previous order, the court had stayed the further proceedings in the FIR registered against him.

The court passed this order on a petition filed by Jeetendra contending that the present case was a gross abuse of the process of law. It was further contended in the petition that the facts of the case would suggest 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 a time period of 1971 as per the FIR that is more than 47 years ago and the case had been registered under Section 354 of the IPC.

The petitioner further alleged that it was surprising that where the police were so reluctant to register cases in day-to-day course of business, this case had been registered after 47 years.

It was further contended that there was no reason given as to why the complainant had taken 47 years to register the complaint and what was the instant motivation for having filed the case in such a dramatic manner devoid of relevant details.

It was further contended in the petition that completely false and frivolous allegations had been levelled against him by his cousin, the complainant, while quoting an incident 47 years ago.