#MeToo: Aditya Pancholi Booked In A 10-Year-Old Rape Case

A well-known actress on Thursday has filed an FIR at Versova Police against actor Aditya Pancholi for allegedly raping her 10 years ago and recorded her statement. “We have registered an offense of rape, wrongful restraint, assault and criminal intimidation under the Indian Penal Code,” Mumbai Police spokesperson DCP Manjunath Singe said, The Hindu reported.

Earlier, the actress has claimed that she was in a relationship with Pancholi between 2005 and 2008, which is when he abused and exploited her. The allegations range from keeping her under house arrest to physically abusing her. “We have recorded a detailed statement from the victim. As the offense occurred several years ago, we will have to visit the locations named by the victim and get in touch with those she has named,” an officer with the Versova police station said, and added that Pancholi had not yet been summoned.

“We will decide on the further course of action once preliminary inquiries are over,” the officer said.

Versova Police Station has registered a case under Sections 376 (rape), 328 (causing hurt by means of poison), 384 (extortion), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). But the police find it difficult to prove the case and gather evidence since the case is almost 10 years old. Yet they have started with the investigation.

Pancholi and his wife Zarina Wahab have earlier denied the allegations and called them fake. They also filed a defamation case against the actress and her sister.

The FIR says that Pancholi slept with her without her consent by giving her intoxicants and additionally took pictures of them having sex. Allegedly he later used those pictures to extort one crore rupees from her of which she only paid him half the amount. He also allegedly locked her up in the house whenever she tried to approach the police.

“Based on her statement, we have also added sections for causing harm by poisonous substance and extortion to the complaint,” an officer said.

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“Based on her statement, we have also added sections for causing harm by poisonous substance and extortion to the complaint,” an officer said.

Pancholi and his wife Zarina Wahab have earlier denied the allegations and called them fake. They also filed a defamation case against the actress and her sister. It is not a small allegation, the law will take its course, I will fight out... the truth will come out,” Mumbai Mirror quoted him saying.

“I am being falsely implicated in this case and I have all the evidence and video in this case. I am ready to cooperate with the Mumbai Police. If they will call me for my statement, then I will cooperate. I am ready for investigation since I knew that a case will be registered against me. I am not going anywhere. The police have not approached me after the FIR was registered,” Pancholi said.

Picture credit- Mid Day

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