A 30-year-old woman accused industrialist Sajjan Jindal of raping her after promising to marry her, a charge denied by the billionaire on Sunday (December 17). Jindal described the allegations as “false and baseless”. The woman, whose social media profile described her as an actor, claimed that she met Jindal, 64, the chairman and managing director of the USD 23-billion JSW Group, at a cricket match in Dubai a few years ago, leading to their friendship and subsequently to the industrialist getting attracted to her.
The alleged sexual assault took place on January 23 this year inside the JSW Group headquarters, the Mumbai woman claimed, while also adding that the industrialist had promised to marry her.
She approached the police on February 16. An FIR was filed at the BKC police station in Mumbai on December 13 under sections 376 (rape), 354 (outraging modesty of a woman) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.
What did Jindal say?
In a statement issued on Sunday evening, Jindal denied the allegations as being false and baseless.
“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,” said the statement, issued by the industrialist in his personal capacity.
The woman had claimed that she first met Jindal in the VIP box of the Dubai stadium, where they exchanged contact numbers.
She claimed that she later met Jindal inside a star hotel in suburban Bandra and south Mumbai’s Jindal Mansion and also went on a drive with him in a car before the alleged sexual assault.
In the FIR, she mentioned that Jindal has been avoiding contact with her since the alleged sexual assault.
(With PTI inputs)