In dock, Hiranandani seeks damages

Besides Hiranandani, the other accused in the case are senior police inspector Y L Jadhav, Sansare and one Prakash Wadkar, and four others identified by the complainant as “Hiranandani’s men.”

The woman had also alleged she was raped by Jadhav, Sansare and Wadkar and that the Powai police station refused to lodge her complaint. On June 24, the HC ordered the police to register an FIR within 24 hours. A day later, the Crime Branch registered an FIR naming eight accused in the case.

In his affidavit, Hiranandani stated that the woman had fabricated the story of alleged “rape and assault for grabbing land, which is in the settled possession of Messers Lakeview Developers, a part of the Hiranandani Group.”

It also stated that the woman claimed to be married to an employee of Roma Builders Private Limited, which is a part of the Hiranandani Group. However, the woman appeared to be the namesake of the employee’s wife who died in 2004-05, the affidavit stated.

“Looking into the gravity of the offences committed by the petitioner…, it would be appropriate to award compensation to me in the event of the police investigations revealing that no offences are made out against me. I am personally not interested in such monetary compensation… the same can be disbursed in the absolute discretion of this court, which would act as a deterrent against such false cases.”

Meanwhile, the complainant’s lawyer Gunratan Sadavarte urged the HC to direct the police to also invoke sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against the accused.

Justices V M Kanade and P D Kode, however, asked Sadavarte and additional public prosecutor Purnima Kantharia to inform the court whether Dalits who have converted to Buddhism can be covered by the provisions of the Atrocities Act.

The case will be heard further after on August 5.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com