Delay in Sajjan Jindal rape case FIR: Cops, complainant blame each other

Sajjan Jindal, chairman and managing director of JSW Group of companies

The BKC police, who are probing an allegation of rape against billionaire industrialist Sajjan Jindal, have received flak online over a perceived delay in filing the complainant's FIR. Citing apex court guidelines, social media users have asked why Jindal, chairman and managing director of JSW Group of companies, was booked on December 13 despite the woman approaching the cops in February. However, senior city police officers told mid-day that the complainant had hesitated to sign her initial statement.

After she approached the Bombay High Court on December 12, the complainant signed the papers and the FIR was filed the following day, the police claimed, adding that the court had not issued any orders to them. Officials are enquiring whether anyone intentionally delayed the registration of the FIR, with certain officers under police scrutiny for potential mala fide intentions.

Sajjan Jindal, chairman and managing director of JSW Group of companies. Pic/X

In her recent statement, the complainant explicitly mentioned filing a complaint at the BKC police station in February, but the FIR was only registered earlier this month. According to sources, due to the sensitive nature of the initial complaints filed by the woman, the BKC police diligently documented her multiple visits to the police station. An officer stated, "She met senior officers but didn't sign the papers; we have all the diary records."

"The investigation is actively exploring all aspects of the case. Initially, the complainant hesitated to sign her statement, which is crucial for the registration of an FIR. The court was notified, and once she agreed to sign, the FIR was promptly registered. Notably, the court has not issued any orders or strictures against the police," a senior police officer said on the condition of anonymity.

mid-day attempted to contact the complainant and her lawyer for a comment, but calls and messages went unanswered by press time. The Mumbai Police is set to issue a summons to Jindal to record his statement regarding the allegation.

‘Looking at evidence'

An officer involved in the investigation said, "We are scrutinising the data and evidence provided by the complainant. Given the sensitivity of the case involving a high-profile personality, thorough checks are necessary before taking further steps." Sources reveal that the police are examining call detail records (CDR) of the complainant and accused to verify if the dates mentioned in the FIR correspond to the same location. "The dates in the FIR are a crucial aspect of the investigation to initially corroborate the victim's allegations," said another officer.

Jindal's statement

On Sunday, Jindal issued a statement in a personal capacity, refuting all the allegations. It read, "Mr Sajjan Jindal denies these false and baseless allegations. He is committed to providing full cooperation throughout the investigation. As the investigation is ongoing, we will refrain from commenting further at this stage. We kindly request you to respect the privacy of the family."

Dec 13
Day FIR was filed

Dec 12
Day woman approached HC