Actor-producer Aditya Pancholi (File Photo)

MUMBAI: A sessions court on Wednesday adjourned hearing in the anticipatory bail plea filed by actor-producer Aditya Pancholi in an alleged rape case registered against him by an actress in June.

In the previous hearing on the plea last month, granting Pancholi (54) interim pre-arrest bail, the court had observed that false implication could not be ruled out. The court took into consideration that on June 25 a magistrate had issued process against the actress in a defamation case Pancholi had filed against her in 2017. The court also said that the allegations made by the actress also pertained to incidents from 2004-09.

"Considering that there is a considerable delay in lodging the report and as the present report has been lodged after the issuance of process by the magistrate against the victim, that too the very next day, false implication of the applicant (Pancholi) cannot be ruled out at this stage. The applicant has thus, made out a prima facie case for granting pre-arrest bail at this stage," the court had said.

On Wednesday, the court adjourned the hearing after the actress's advocate submitted that the intervention application opposing his plea was wrongly filed in the name of the actress's sister. The lawyer told the court he wanted time to rectify the mistake and file the appropriate application. Considering the submission, the court adjourned the hearing to September 9.

On June 27, the Versova police had registered a case of rape, extortion and criminal intimidation, among other charges, against Pancholi.

In her complaint, the actress said she met Pancholi after she came to Mumbai in 2004 for pursuing a career in films. She alleged that in 2004, after she accompanied him to a party and consumed drinks, she started feeling dizzy. She alleged that on the way home, Pancholi stopped the car and raped her. The actress also alleged that Pancholi assaulted her physically and mentally and even blackmailed her with private pictures.

Pancholi's anticipatory bail plea said the FIR reflected her knowledge that he was married with two kids when she met him the first time. He submitted that he was absolutely innocent and the case was false. Pancholi's defence pointed out to chats to show that the report was lodged by the actress due to a monetary dispute.

