The Bombay High Court last week dropped criminal proceedings against angel investor Mahesh Murthy over an alleged sexual harassment case that had reportedly occurred in 2004, according to The Indian Express.
The court observed that the delay in filing the FIR 14 years after the offence was not "properly explained."
"Neither delay is properly explained nor there are reasons by the magistrate for condoning the same in the interests of justice,” the division bench of Justices Ranjit More and NJ Jamadar said, setting aside the criminal proceedings, The Indian Express reported.
The complainant's lawyer argued that the limitation period to file a criminal complaint does not apply to sexual offences as Murthy is a serial sexual offender.
However, the court dismissed the argument, saying that the limitation period to file a complaint applied to every offence under the Indian Penal Code. The court observed that the continuation of prosecution of Murthy would be an “abuse of the process of law.”
An Alleged Serial Sexual Offender
Several women came forward in the wake of the 'Me Too' movement in 2017-2018, alleging sexual harassment and abuse against Murthy.
The National Commission for Women had written to the Maharashtra Police about complaints it had received from several women against the angel investor, a police official said, reported PTI.
In the most recent case, a woman had alleged that Murthy had sexually abused her 14 years ago. The woman had approached the Bandra police in connection with the matter on 19 March 2018, following which an FIR was registered, according to PTI.
According to the woman, Murthy allegedly touched her inappropriately during a meeting at a coffee shop in suburban Bandra in 2004, a police official said.
In another case, the police in suburban Khar had arrested Murthy in connection with a molestation case, based on a complaint filed by a Delhi-based woman entrepreneur.
According to PTI, a business author in 2017 had alleged that she was sexually assaulted by Murthy, a claim rubbished by him.
A series of complaints had also surfaced on social media against Murthy, some dating back a decade ago.
(With inputs from The Indian Express and PTI.)
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