Written by Omkar GokhaleMumbai | December 27, 2025 08:52 AM IST 4 min readBombay High-court rejected a plea of a woman seeking reopening of probe into rape and criminal intimidation case against Sajjan Jindal (File)The Bombay High Court has dismissed a plea by a 32-year-old woman seeking reopening of probe into the rape and criminal intimidation case against Sajjan Jindal, chairman and managing director of JSW Group.A magistrate court in April 2024 accepted the closure report filed by the police, which said allegations in the complaint were not true. The HC on Wednesday dismissed her prayer seeking a CBI probe or a probe through court-monitored SIT in the case.In 2023, the woman had lodged a complaint at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) police station, levelling charges of rape and criminal intimidation against Jindal. In his statement, Jindal had denied the allegations as “false and baseless”.A division bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam A Ankhad on December 24 gave its verdict on the plea by the woman who sought direction to set aside the April 2024 order of the Metropolitan Magistrate, Bandra, which accepted the B-Summary report of the police.The police, in their closure report, stated that the woman had filed the complaint after a long time after the alleged incident and had failed to submit evidence and failed to appear before the court to record her statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).Consequent upon setting aside of the magistrate’s order, the petitioner also sought from the HC the reopening of the investigation in the FIR and a probe by the CBI or a Special Investigating Team (SIT) monitored by the court. The petitioner also sought further direction that the investigation in the case be completed and charge-sheet be filed within three months.The petitioner, through advocate Rahul Arote, alleged that the accused is a “powerful man with political support” and the police failed to protect her interest and did not prosecute him after registration of the FIR under IPC Sections 376 (rape), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.Story continues below this adThe HC noted that the magistrate referred to the closure report, took note of the woman’s affidavit and findings by the Investigating Officer that the accused person was not present at the places as mentioned in the FIR on the relevant dates and heard the arguments of both the sides.“When the petitioner consented for a relationship of any kind with the accused person, she did so having fully understood the marital status and compulsions of the accused person. Such promises lose all significance when two highly educated adult persons are overcome with emotions,” the HC noted.The HC also observed that the petitioner “did not allege that the accused person’s behaviour was deceitful”.“The magistrate who deals with the police report cannot compel the police to change his opinion. A finding of fact recorded in the police report could not have been doubted by the magistrate when the prosecutrix herself made a statement that she did not want to contest the matter,” it held.Story continues below this ad“This is for the police to form an opinion on the basis of the materials collected during the investigation whether a case is made out to forward the accused person before the magistrate for trial and this decision can be taken by the police and by no other authority. For the aforesaid reasons, criminal writ petition is dismissed,” the HC held.Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates exceptionally strong Expertise and Authority in legal and judicial reporting, making him a highly Trustworthy source for developments concerning the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to Maharashtra and its key institutions. Expertise & Authority Affiliation: Reports for The Indian Express, a national newspaper known for its rigorous journalistic standards, lending significant Trustworthiness to his legal coverage. Core Authority & Specialization: Omkar Gokhale's work is almost exclusively dedicated to the complex field of legal affairs and jurisprudence, specializing in: Bombay High Court Coverage: He provides detailed, real-time reports on the orders, observations, and decisions of the Bombay High Court's principal and regional benches. Key subjects include: Fundamental Rights & Environment: Cases on air pollution, the right to life of residents affected by dumping sites, and judicial intervention on critical infrastructure (e.g., Ghodbunder Road potholes). Civil & Criminal Law: Reporting on significant bail orders (e.g., Elgaar Parishad case), compensation for rail-related deaths, and disputes involving high-profile individuals (e.g., Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty). Constitutional and Supreme Court Matters: Reports and analysis on key legal principles and Supreme Court warnings concerning Maharashtra, such as those related to local body elections, reservations, and the creamy layer verdict. Governance and Institution Oversight: Covers court rulings impacting public bodies like the BMC (regularisation of illegal structures) and the State Election Commission (postponement of polls), showcasing a focus on judicial accountability. 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