Mumbai Sessions Court Rejects IRS Officer's Plea in Sexual Assault Case
A sessions court in Mumbai has refused relief to an Indian Revenue Service officer facing allegations of sexual assault made by an actress, holding that the accusations require a detailed and scientific police investigation.
The officer had challenged an order passed by a metropolitan magistrate court that directed the police to investigate the complaint. Rejecting his revision plea, the sessions court observed that the alleged offences were cognisable and that the collection of evidence could be carried out exclusively by the police.
According to the complaint, the actress alleged that the officer had promised to marry her and subsequently assaulted her, causing injuries. She approached the magistrate court after claiming that the police had failed to act on her initial complaint, after which the magistrate ordered an investigation.
In his defense, the officer denied making any false promise of marriage and maintained that their relationship was consensual. He alleged that the actress had extorted Rs 10.92 lakh from him and stated that WhatsApp chats between them supported his claim. He also cited an extortion case filed against her.
The woman produced medical evidence and certificates to support her allegations of assault.
The sessions court noted that the officer’s claims regarding consent, WhatsApp chats, and whether the offences were made out were matters of defence to be considered during trial. It held that the complaint, supported by an affidavit and other material, disclosed a prima facie case warranting an investigation under the Code of Criminal Procedure.
