No Arrests Yet in Rape Case Against Jubilant FoodWorks Chairman, Victim Seeks Police Protection Amid Threats

New Delhi: The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the Thane police to register an FIR against Shyam Sundar Bhartiya, the chairman of Jubilant Foodworks, along with three others for the alleged rape of an aspiring actress. 

The victim claims that Bhartiya raped her multiple times in India and Singapore, promising to launch her career in Bollywood films.

According to the victim's complaint, she was introduced to Bhartiya by Pooja Kamaljeet Singh, one of the accused. The victim alleges that Bhartiya forced her to consume alcohol before sexually assaulting her. Furthermore, she claims that Pooja recorded the incidents when Bhartiya allegedly raped her at her residence.

Following the court's directive, the Kapurbawdi Police have registered the case, but no arrests have been made so far. 

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Advocate Sofiya Shaikh, representing the victim, stated that her client approached her two weeks ago after experiencing significant delays and harassment in filing the FIR. "There was a three-month delay in filing the FIR, which was unjustified. My client faced harassment from the police, even being questioned by the Thane Crime Branch without any action being taken," she explained.

Shaikh detailed how a writ petition was subsequently filed, which resulted in an order from a bench led by Justice Dere and Justice Neela Gokhle, where ACP Dongre assured the FIR would be registered. However, despite this assurance, the victim faced further obstacles at the police station when she sought to file her complaint. She was turned away without her statement being recorded, with police citing jurisdictional confusion. It reportedly took more than twelve hours to get the FIR registered after these initial setbacks.

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Advocate Ahmed, another lawyer involved in the case, highlighted the ongoing risks faced by the victim. "The very next day after the FIR was registered, she received a video call from Pooja Kamaljeet Singh, leading her to seek interim protection from the police due to fears for her life," he said. Despite the urgency of the situation, he noted, no protective measures have been provided to her yet.

Advocate Shaikh also raised concerns regarding Pooja's husband, Kamaljeet Singh, who has been accused in a human trafficking case involving supplying girls to hotels in Mumbai. She emphasized, “This is a major racket that has implications beyond this case. The accused are not being summoned for questioning, and we are preparing to file another writ petition due to the lack of action and threats faced by my client.”

The lawyers underscored that this high-profile case involves significant influence and power dynamics that could impede justice for the victim. "She is terrified and feels unsupported by the police," they asserted, calling for immediate protective measures to ensure her safety as legal proceedings unfold.