Mumbai Court rejects Rakhi Sawant’s anticipatory bail plea: Report

A Mumbai Court recently turned down the anticipatory bail plea of renowned actress and model Rakhi Sawant. The rejection came in response to a case filed against her by her former husband, Adil Durrani, who accused Sawant of circulating private, sexually explicit videos of him through various media channels.

According to a report by Bar and Bench, the decision was made by Sessions Judge Shrikant Y Bhosale, who, after careful consideration, found the allegations and material allegedly disseminated by Sawant to be not only obscene but also sexually explicit. The judge also took into account Sawant’s criminal antecedents, noting that she had a prior case pending against her for a similar offence.

“The relief of anticipatory bail is within the discretion of the Court and the Court has to grant or to refuse the said relief considering the facts and circumstances of a particular case. Having discussed the allegations and the facts and circumstances of the case I am of the view that this is not a fit case to grant relief of anticipatory bail,” stated Judge Bhosale in his January 8 order.

Durrani’s primary allegation is that Sawant violated his right to privacy by circulating explicit videos of him. An FIR was lodged under Sections 500 (defamation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 67A (publishing sexually explicit material in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act.

In response to the charges, Sawant, represented by advocate Ali Kaashif Khan, sought anticipatory bail. She contended that the videos were shot by Durrani himself on his own phone and that he had failed to disclose this crucial information to the police.

However, the prosecution opposed Sawant’s application, stating that they were yet to investigate the source of the video publications. The police also highlighted the presence of another co-accused in the case who needed further investigation.

The court had previously granted interim protection from arrest to Sawant on November 29, 2023. Following the recent rejection of her bail application, the court extended the interim protection until January 11, 2024, allowing Sawant time to approach the High Court.

Advocate Ali Kaashif Khan Deshmukh appeared on behalf of Sawant, while Additional Public Prosecutor RC Salve represented the State. Advocate SI Sharif appeared for Durrani.

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