Actor Ajaz Khan moves High Court seeking pre-arrest bail in rape case

ctor Ajaz Khan has approached the Bombay High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a rape case after a sessions court rejected the same. The actor is accused of raping a woman under the false promise of marriage and professional advancement.

According to the FIR filed by the complainant, Khan, 40, who is the host of a reality show "House Arrest", allegedly lured the woman, who is also an actress, by offering her a role in the show.

Khan, also known as Azaz Shafi Mohammad Guliwala, filed his plea through advocate Ashok Saraogi, contending that the FIR is “bad in law” and his custodial interrogation is not required for any purposes.

The woman alleged that Khan had called her to offer her the role of a host in his show and during the shoot, he first proposed to her, and later went to her home, where he raped her.

Khan misused his celebrity status to gain her trust, and under the guise of marriage and financial support, established physical relations with her multiple times without her free and informed consent, the complaint stated.

The FIR specifically mentions two incidents: one on April 4, at Ajaz Khan’s residence at Lodha Bel in Jogeshwari (West), and another on April 24, at the complainant’s home, where she claims Khan again sexually assaulted her on the promise of marriage.

Ajaz Khan had earlier sought a pre-arrest bail from the Dindoshi Sessions Court, which denied the same over concerns of evidence tampering and witness intimidation.

The sessions court observed that while the complainant is an adult, the nature of the allegations suggests that her consent was neither free nor unequivocal as required under law. The court also noted Khan’s prior criminal antecedents and emphasised the need for custodial interrogation to facilitate the recovery of his mobile phone, verification of digital communications including WhatsApp chats and voice recordings, and collection of voice samples.

The Bombay High Court will hear Khan's anticipatory bail plea next week.