"Petitioner Is Like My Daughter"- Sanjay Raut To Bombay High Court On Harassment Allegations

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut refuted allegations of harassment by a Kalina based psychologist in the Bombay High Court, on Monday, and argued that the petitioner- a family friend- was like a daughter to him. Raut informed a division bench of Justices S S Shinde and Manish Pitale that the lady is levelling allegations against him because she is under the impression that he is taking her husband's side in their matrimonial dispute. The court was hearing writ petitions by the psychologist residing in Kalina, in Mumbai, seeking directions to the Mumbai Police to investigate three FIRs lodged by her in 2013 and 2018 against unknown persons and to initiate action against the Deputy Police Commissioner (DCP), zone 8. After the state government submitted that a charge sheet has been filed in one of the complaints by the woman and A-summary reports were filed in the other two cases, the HC directed the charge sheet to be provided to the woman. According to the petitioner, the DCP failed to follow the directions of the National Commission for Women (NCW) to register an FIR against Shiv Sena MP and leader Sanjay Raut and other persons including her estranged husband as they 'directly or indirectly' connived with Raut to harass her. The petitioner, through advocate Abha Singh, has alleged that she had been attacked by unknown persons in 2013 and despite registering complaints at both Mahim and Vakola police stations, no action was initiated. The plea further alleged that another FIR was filed in 2018 against a stalker who was also arrested at Vakola Police station, however, no action was taken by the Police. The woman said that in furtherance of the three FIRs, she had approached the DCP, Zone 8 in September, last year. Despite the NCW directing the officer to register FIR against Raut and others, he did not take any action, which prompted her to move before HC. The petition alleged that the Shiv Sena leader had threatened her several times and also resorted to harassment by tapping her phone and kept track of her movements, using security guards and the police. She claimed that her social and professional life has been disrupted as her husband was told to harass her and later to divorce her. Her friends and acquaintances were told to distance themselves from her or face dire consequences, she said. Given this, the petitioner sought directions for a departmental inquiry for no action on FIRs registered in 2013 and 2018 and 'suitable action' against the concerned DCP for not registering FIR. The plea also seeks Raut's interrogation to ascertain his role in FIRs registered by the petitioner. During the hearing on Friday, Chief public prosecutor Deepak Thakare gave a summary of the investigation and submitted that the pleas were not maintainable. Senior Counsel Prasad Dhakephalkar raised a preliminary objection that if the complainant wanted, she could have approached the magistrate before whom the reports were filed, instead of raising allegations against his client before the High Court and therefore the petitions were not maintainable. Raut refuted allegations and submitted that the petition was baseless and misconceived. Moreover, the petitioner has made a plea before NCW, where she can take further recourse, he said. "I have no problem against any inquiry being conducted. The charge sheet has been filed. She is a family friend and like a daughter to me. I know the family very well. It is she and her husband are having matrimonial disputes. She thinks I am siding with her husband, so she is making allegations against me," Raut submitted through Dhakephalkar. After hearing submissions, the bench asked advocate Thakare to give the copy of the charge sheet to the petitioner woman within two days and also produce another copy before the Court. "Pending hearing, both sides shall restrain themselves from making allegations outside," Justice Shinde suggested and posted the matter for further hearing to March 19.

"Petitioner Is Like My Daughter"- Sanjay Raut To Bombay High Court On Harassment Allegations

Sharmeen Hakim

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