Read Time: 05 minutes

Synopsis

Indian dancer, model, and actress Rakhi Sawant has approached the Bombay High Court to quash the FIR and defamation case filed against her by a model/actor.

The defamation proceedings and the FIR were filed against Sawant for allegedly showing videos of the complainant in public and making defamatory remarks against the complainant.

In her plea, Rakhi had alleged that the FIR was filed against her to frame her in a false and bogus case and is a publicity stunt used to gain notoriety and fame.

“It is submitted that the aforesaid FIR has been filed by the informant in an attempt to harass the petitioner herein and to frame her in a false and a bogus case and is a publicity stunt used to gain notoriety and fame, by berating and attacking the reputation and modesty of the Petitioner. That the present FIR is malafide and is motivated with fraudulent intentions and has been registered by the informant with ulterior & revengeful motives to harass the Petitioner & pressurize her,” the plea reads.

Sawant was booked under was booked for offences under Sections 354(A) (outraging modesty of a woman), 500 (defamation), 504 (criminal intimidation), 509 (intent of provoking breach) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) along with Section 67(A) of the Information and Technology Act (IT Act).

The plea also states that Section 354A of the IPC can only be filed against a man and that since the petitioner is a woman, she could not have been booked under the said section.

In her plea, Rakhi has also stated that a careful perusal of the FIR by itself indicates that no confidence can be generated with respect of the genuineness of the said FIR.

“The Petitioner states that without going into the merits of the matter, a careful perusal of the FIR by itself indicates that no confidence can be generated in respect of the genuineness of the said FIR and in any case, as the Petitioner and the Respondent no.2 have amicably resolved all the disputes however pendency of the present F.I.R is nothing but just a tactic played by the respondent no.2 to waste the precious time of the court and also to be highlighted in the media,” the plea states.

Rakhi has sought quashing of the cases filed against her and also the chargesheet filed by the police on October 18, 2023.

Case title: Rakhi Sawant vs State of Maharashtra & Anr.