Aditya Pancholi seeks quashing of Rape FIR; Next hearing on Feb 24
Veteran Bollywood actor Aditya Pancholi returned to the spotlight on Thursday as the Bombay High Court took up his petition to quash a 2019 rape FIR lodged against him at the Versova Police Station in Mumbai. The case involves allegations made by a female Bollywood actress.Pancholi’s legal team, led by advocate Prashant Patil, urged the court to dismiss the FIR on grounds that it was filed many years after the alleged incident, describing the complaint as “malicious” and lacking in timely evidence. The plea cited legal precedent, notably the Supreme Court’s Bhajanlal judgment, which allows quashing of criminal proceedings under specific circumstances.During Thursday’s hearing, the defence also presented a recording of a meeting prior to the FIR being filed, which they claim demonstrates “wrongful intention” behind the complaint. The court noted the submission but did not rule on its admissibility, opting instead to focus on procedural matters at this stage. A key point raised in court was the complainant’s absence from the police investigation. The public prosecutor informed the bench that despite 11 notices sent by the investigating agency, the actress did not appear for questioning. In light of this, the Bombay High Court issued a fresh notice directing her to be present at the next hearing scheduled for February 24, 2026.Pancholi, whose career spans decades with varied roles in Hindi cinema, has previously rejected the allegations, calling them false and asserting his willingness to cooperate with authorities. As the case returns to court next week, all eyes will remain on developments in one of Bollywood’s longest-running legal sagas.Also Read: Aditya Pancholi claims he lost Tezaab to Anil Kapoor due to industry lobbying in cryptic note: “Politics in the film industry runs deeper”
