Allahabad High Court Grants Protection From Arrest To Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui & 4 Family Members In Molestation Case [Read Order]

The Division Bench comprising of Justices Manoj Misra and Sanjay Kumar Pachori was hearing Siddiqui's application for quashing of FIR.

Though the Court declined this plea "as the allegations would require investigation" however, it directed the UP Police, not to take any coercive action against Siddiqui and his two brothers Fayazuddin and Ayazuddin, and mother Mehrunissa.

The relief was not granted in favour of Siddiqui's third brother, Minajhuddin, as there was a specific allegation against him of molesting a minor child in the family in 2012.

The Court said,

"Considering that specific allegation of child abuse is against the petitioner no. 1 (Minajhuddin) only and the rest of the petitioners have been implicated by levelling general allegation, we deem it appropriate to dispose off this writ petition by providing that in so far as the petitioner no. 2 (Faiyajuddin Siddiqi); petitioner no. 3 (Ayajuddin Siddiqi); petitioner no. 4 (Smt. Mehrunisha Siddiqi); and petitioner no. 5 (Nawajuddin Siddiqi) are concerned, the investigation shall continue and brought to its logical conclusion but they shall not be arrested in the above case till submission of police report under Section 173 (2) CrPC…"

An FIR in the matter was filed at Budhana Police Station in Muzaffarnagar District on August 14, 2020, under Sections 354 (outraging modesty of a woman), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation). Allegations are also levelled under Sections 8, 12 and 21 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

Siddiqui, represented by Abhishek Yadav, contended that the allegations are absolutely false and that the impugned FIR was lodged just to extract a favourable settlement, in view of the fact that he is a film actor.

[With PTI Inputs]

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