The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Mumbai Police commissioner to look into grievances raised by a 36-year-old woman, who has accused certain persons of stalking and harassing her at the behest of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut and her estranged husband.
A division bench of Justice S S Shinde and Justice N J Jamadar was hearing a plea filed by the woman – a psychologist residing at Kalina in Mumbai’s Santacruz – seeking directions to the police to investigate three complaints filed by her in 2013 and 2018 against unknown persons and to initiate action against the deputy police commissioner (DCP) of Zone VIII.
According to the petitioner, the DCP allegedly failed to follow the directions of the National Commission for Women to register an FIR against Raut and other persons, including her estranged husband, as they “directly or indirectly” connived with the MP to harass her.
Advocate Abha Singh, representing the woman, told the HC that despite her client moving court, she was recently arrested for allegedly practising at a premium hospital in Bandra (West) for at least two years by “using a fake degree” of a clinical psychologist before she was removed from the post.
Following this, the HC asked the woman to file a separate petition challenging her arrest.
“We direct the commissioner of police to look into the grievances raised in the petition and take appropriate measures. The commissioner of police shall respond to us and put on record a report by June 24,” the bench noted in its order.
On March 5, senior advocate Prasad Dhakephalkar, representing Raut, had refuted the allegations before the court. He had said that the woman was like a daughter to his client and allegations have been made against him because she thought that Raut was siding with her husband in their matrimonial dispute.
In April, Raut had filed an application in a Mumbai court against the woman seeking removal of some “offensive posts” put up by the “doctor” on social media against him. The HC will hear the plea on Thursday.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/bombay-hc-directs-mumbai-top-cop-to-look-into-harassment-charges-against-raut-7371206/
