Bombay HC quashes FIR filed by Priyanka Chopra against former manager after mutual settlement

Chopra, in her affidavit, stated that Jaju had approached her to settle the matter and after detailed deliberation and Jaju’s unconditional apology, she decided to resolve the issue.

As per the settlement, Jaju has tendered an unconditional apology to the actor and added that he had no intention to hurt or intimidate Chopra. The FIR was lodged in 2008, wherein Jaju was booked by Versova Police station for offences punishable under Sections 506(II) (criminal intimidation), and 509 (words or gesture intended to insult a woman’s modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 67 of the Information Technology (IT) Act.

Later, the case was transferred to Crime Branch Unit-DCB, CID CIU and after the charge sheet was filed, the case was pending before the Esplanade Magistrate court.

The bench was hearing a writ plea by Jaju seeking quashing of FIR filed through Dewani Associates which stated that there had been differences between the actor and him regarding payment of services rendered by him, which led to multiple civil and criminal proceedings filed against each other. He added that due to the intervention of well-wishers, the two arrived at the settlement. Jaju, in his plea, said that Chopra had paid an amount of Rs 29 lakh to him towards unpaid dues as part of the settlement and he, as per the settlement, never contacted her thereafter.

Jaju claimed that he never had the intention to send any obscene or intimidating messages and he realised that the said messages might have been perceived as intentional, and is “highly repentant for the same and regret any inconvenience caused to Chopra due to receipt of such messages.”

As per the plea, in June 2008, text messages were exchanged between him and the actor, which she found to be objectionable and a complaint was filed against him with Mumbai Police. Moreover, Chopra’s father had lodged a complaint with the magistrate court in Andheri levelling the same offences against Jaju. The plea stated that said offences were compounded with the consent of parties and he was acquitted through an order passed during the National Lok Adalat held in July 2019.

Jaju also said he had settled all commercial differences and misunderstandings with Chopra, so the FIR against him be quashed and the proceedings under the same should not be continued as it would cause “great abuse of process of law”.