Himachal HC stays proceedings against Jeetendra

In a major relief to veteran Bollywood actor Jeetendra, the Himachal Pradesh High Court today stayed further proceedings against him in the sexual assault case registered by his cousin.

The police had registered a case against him on February 16 on the complaint of his cousin, who alleged that she was sexually assaulted by him in a hotel here in January 1971.

The high court listed the matter for hearing on May 23. Jeetendra challenged the FIR registered against him and sought quashing of the FIR.

The actor had claimed that the police had registered the FIR without any preliminary investigation or evidence.

Jeetendra was neither questioned by the police nor he was provided a copy of the FIR, his counsel said, adding that the allegations were false and a conspiracy was being hatched to malign the image of the actor.

While issuing a notice to the respondent in the matter, 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.

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.

She alleged in the complaint that after reaching Shimla at night, the inebriated 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. As now he is no more, she finally decided to lodge a case against the actor.