Aditya Pancholi Seeks To Quash 2019 Rape FIR In Bombay High Court
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court recently heard a petition from veteran Bollywood actor Aditya Pancholi, who is seeking the quashing of a First Information Report (FIR) accusing him of rape, originally lodged in 2019. The case, registered at Versova police station in Mumbai, involves allegations made by a female Bollywood actress.
According to reports citing ANI, advocate Prashant Patil, representing Pancholi, appeared before the court and pressed for the FIR to be set aside. The public prosecutor informed the bench that the investigating agency had issued 11 notices to the complainant, yet she had failed to appear for questioning or cooperate with the probe.
In response to this development, the High Court issued a fresh notice on Thursday, requiring the complainant to be present at the next scheduled hearing on February 24, 2026.
The FIR, dated June 27, 2019, was filed under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 376 (rape), Section 328 (causing hurt by means of poison or stupefying substance), Section 384 (extortion), Section 341 (wrongful restraint), Section 342 (wrongful confinement), Section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and Section 506 (criminal intimidation).
In his petition, Pancholi has described the complaint as malicious and argued for its dismissal on legal grounds, referencing the Supreme Court’s guidelines in the landmark Bhajan Lal case, which outline circumstances under which criminal proceedings may be quashed. The actor contends that the allegations pertain to events purportedly occurring nearly 15 years before the FIR was registered.
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Patil also brought to the court’s attention a recording of a conversation involving an individual who allegedly met Pancholi before the FIR was filed. The defence claims this evidence demonstrates ulterior motives behind the complaint.
Pancholi has previously maintained that he was falsely implicated in the matter following the FIR’s registration in 2019.
The proceedings remain ongoing in the Bombay High Court, with the matter now adjourned to February 24 for further consideration.