Actor Vijay Raaz acquitted in sexual harassment case by Gondia court

MUMBAI: Actor Vijay Raaz, known for his roles in ‘Stree’, ‘Delhi Belly’ and others, has been acquitted of sexual harassment and stalking charges filed by a colleague on the sets of the film ‘Sherni’, also starring Vidya Balan.

The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court in Gondia acquitted actor Vijay Raaz of all charges in a sexual harassment case filed against him in 2020 during the shooting of a film in Gondia and Balaghat. The court found him innocent after completing the trial, and he was acquitted of all charges against him.

The judgment, pronounced by Judge Mahendra Keshao Sorte, cleared the 51-year-old actor of allegations under Indian Penal Code Sections 354-A (sexual harassment) and 354-D (stalking), citing lack of evidence and failure of the prosecution to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case dated back to October 25-29, 2020, when a female crew member accused Raaz of inappropriate behaviour, including unwelcome physical contact and suggestive remarks, during a film shoot at Hotel Gateway in Gondia and later at Jatashankar College in Balaghat.

His advocate and noted celebrity lawyer Saveena Bedi Sachar, stated that the actor who was shooting near Nagpur for ‘Sherni’ had to not only leave the film shoot midway, but also lost work thereafter. However, he has now been declared innocent and she hopes that this case serves as an example for people who declare every accused as guilty as soon as allegations are levied against him.

According to the FIR filed on November 3, 2020, the actor allegedly tried to touch the complainant, adjusted her mask without consent, and made comments about her physical appearance. The woman later reported the incident to her seniors and filed a complaint at Ramnagar police station. On November 4, 2020, Raaz was arrested in Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh, over allegations of molesting a crew member at a hotel where the film crew was staying. He was released on bail the same day.

During the investigation, police seized CCTV footage from the hotel and recorded statements of witnesses. However, the court noted that: Key witnesses did not directly witness the incident. CCTV footage failed to conclusively support the allegations.

The main complainant was unavailable to testify, as she had died before the trial concluded. Prosecution witnesses turned hostile or could not confirm the seizure procedures or content of documents. As a result, the court concluded that the prosecution failed to prove the accused’s involvement in any sexual misconduct and declared Razz not guilty.

The court also ordered the cancellation of Raaz’s bail bond, the return of the surety amount, and the destruction of the seized footage after the appeal period. He has been directed to furnish a surety bond of Rs 7,000 for six months under Section 437-A of CrPC to ensure presence if any appeal is filed. (ANI)