Bollywood director Madhur Bhandarkar had once faced one of the most talked-about legal battles of his career after actress Preeti Jain accused him of sexual assault, a case that stretched across more than a decade before reaching its conclusion.
The Original Allegation
Preeti Jain had accused Bhandarkar of forcing himself on her on 16 separate occasions over a four year period, in addition to allegedly threatening her life. The complaint was formally filed in 2006, placing Bhandarkar, then already a well known name in Hindi cinema, at the centre of a serious criminal allegation.
The Clean Chit And The Appeal
In 2007, investigating authorities gave Bhandarkar a clean chit, effectively closing the case against him at that stage. Jain, however, rejected the finding and challenged it before the Andheri court in Mumbai, arguing that the closure report was flawed.
The Case Reopens
The Andheri court examined her appeal and in 2009 set aside the clean chit, directing the investigating officer to file a fresh report into the allegations. This reopened the matter and kept the case alive in the legal system for several more years, even as Bhandarkar continued to describe the accusations as a conspiracy against him.
Reopening The Case
Her appeal was heard by the Andheri Court, which ordered that the clean chit be withdrawn in 2009 and asked the investigation officer to prepare a new charge sheet in relation to the charges. This re-opened the case, and the legal process continued for some years ahead despite continued claims from Bhandarkar that the whole thing was a conspiracy against him.
Supreme Court’s Final Word
The prolonged legal battle finally made its way to the Supreme Court, which delivered judgment in favor of Bhandarkar, declaring that all the accusations of rape against him be quashed. This judgment effectively put an end to the long-standing legal dispute between Bhandarkar and Jain, which began the day the former faced complaints of sexual abuse in the latter’s film.
Where Things Currently Stand?
After the dismissal of the charges by the Supreme Court, the legal dispute that once endangered the career of Bhandarkar is over for good.
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Khushi Patel is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX, covering automotive, technology, Lifestyle, entertainment, and mainstream news. She previously worked as a Copy Editor at Times Network and has written automotive editorial content, including comparison pieces, for TimesDrive.
