Actor Ajaz Khan Denied Anticipatory Bail in Rape Case
In a shocking turn of events, a Mumbai court has refused to grant anticipatory bail to actor Ajaz Khan in a rape case. The actor was booked by the Mumbai Police after an actress accused him of sexually assaulting her on the false pretext of offering her a role on his show “House Arrest”. She claimed that Ajaz promised to marry her, but then raped her on multiple occasions.
The actress, who remains anonymous, had filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police in October 2022, alleging that Ajaz had made false promises to her and sexually exploited her. According to the police, Ajaz had promised the actress a role in his upcoming TV show “House Arrest” and had even sent her a contract. However, he never followed through on his promises and instead sexually assaulted her multiple times.
The police had registered a case against Ajaz under sections 376 (rape), 376(2) (rape by person in authority), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 34 (acts done by several persons with common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
The anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the sessions court, which observed that the allegations against Ajaz were serious and there was a prima facie case against him. The court also noted that Ajaz had failed to provide any credible evidence to disprove the allegations made by the actress.
The actress’s lawyer, Advocate Nitin Satpute, had argued that Ajaz had a history of making false promises to women in the film industry and that he had exploited the actress’s trust to sexually assault her. Satpute had also submitted that the actress had cooperated fully with the investigation and had provided evidence to support her allegations.
Ajaz’s lawyer, however, had argued that the allegations against his client were false and that the actress had made them up to defame him. He had also submitted that Ajaz was a well-known actor and that the allegations against him were an attempt to tarnish his reputation.
The rejection of Ajaz’s anticipatory bail plea is a significant development in the case, as it means that the actor will now have to face the music and appear before the court to answer the allegations against him. The court has ordered Ajaz to surrender his passport and not to leave the country without permission.
The case highlights the need for the film industry to take serious cognizance of sexual harassment and exploitation of women. The industry has been plagued by several cases of sexual misconduct in recent years, and it is essential that those responsible are held accountable for their actions.
The rejection of Ajaz’s anticipatory bail plea is also a message to perpetrators of sexual crimes that the law will not tolerate such behavior. It sends a strong signal that the judiciary is committed to protecting the rights of women and ensuring that those who commit sexual crimes are brought to justice.
As the case proceeds, it will be interesting to see how the court handles the evidence and witnesses. The actress has already provided a detailed account of the alleged sexual assaults, and it remains to be seen whether Ajaz can provide any credible evidence to disprove her allegations.
The case is a reminder that sexual harassment and exploitation are serious crimes that can have long-lasting effects on the victims. It is essential that we take a zero-tolerance approach to such behavior and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
Source: https://repository.inshorts.com/articles/en/PTI/7c4aed71-505c-4b9b-a972-d4c612ca6903
