Complainant moves Bombay High Court in Sharad Kapoor molestation case, seeks Crime Branch investigation

Complainant moves Bombay High Court in Sharad Kapoor molestation case, seeks Crime Branch investigation

• Complainant seeks Crime Branch probe in Sharad Kapoor case
• Petition alleges police irregularities and no arrest so far
• Bombay High Court to hear the case in early March

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In a significant development in the molestation case involving actor Sharad Kapoor, the complainant has approached the Bombay High Court seeking a fresh probe by the city’s Crime Branch, alleging irregularities in the current investigation. The case, which dates back to 2024, has taken a new turn with the woman filing a petition in the High Court after expressing dissatisfaction with how the local police handled the matter.

According to the complaint, the woman — 32 — alleges that the actor called her to what she believed was a professional discussion at his home under the pretext of discussing a project and then molested her. She had originally filed an FIR with the Khar police station in Mumbai. However, she later claimed that the police did not conduct a proper or impartial investigation, and that despite serious sections of the law being invoked, no arrest has been made so far. This perceived inaction prompted her to seek intervention from the Bombay High Court.

The advocate of the complainant, Ali Kaashif Khan told IANS, “The woman has already filed a petition against the police complaint authority, senior police inspector, Karkay and investigation officer, where the notice has been issued, the evidence stage has also been filed, and the cross-examination has also been filed, and the case has been closed. Despite the fact that Sharad Kapoor has given the screenshots of his WhatsApp, Khar police station did not arrest Sharad Kapoor. I have, we have an answer to that, that in the same month, in the same section 79, another accused has been arrested in another case within 24 hours".

He further mentioned, “So, you selectively arrest some cases and do not arrest some cases. So, basically, the law does not work at the will of the officer. You will have to justify. The second issue that was kept in it, that in the chart sheet, they have written a line, where they have written that they have arrested the accused and produced him in the court. the law does not work at the will of the officer. You will have to justify. The second issue that was kept in it, that in the chart sheet, they have written a line, where they have written that they have arrested the accused and produced him in the court".

“This is a very big lie that has been written in the chargesheet. And another issue that we have raised is that, the accused was issued a summons notice, the police officer issued a summons notice, after being arrested, under section 35, which used to be 41A. The accused has never recorded his statement on the demand of the notice. In spite of that, by breaching the existing law of the Supreme Court, the police have shown high handedness, and there is no justification behind it. The FIR was filed by the woman in 2024, today it has been more than a year, there is no place for the accused, the accused is giving false statements in the media, but the accused has not been arrested, the police has even put 67A in it, which is a punishment of 5 years, in the Information Technology Act".

In her petition, the complainant has requested that the probe be transferred from the local police to the Crime Branch — the specialised investigative wing — arguing that this will ensure a fair, transparent and swift investigation. She has also sought the suspension of a senior police officer alleged to be involved in handling the case. Her legal counsel told the court that the police had inappropriately closed certain aspects of the investigation and had shown inconsistency in arrest procedures, arguing that such actions have undermined trust in the inquiry.

The Bombay High Court has acknowledged the petition and scheduled further proceedings. A next hearing date has been set for early March, giving the court time to consider the request for a Crime Branch takeover and examine the complaints of procedural lapses.

So far, Sharad Kapoor has not been arrested in connection with the allegations.