The Supreme Court advised Tamil filmmaker-politician Seeman to give an unconditional apology to an actor who accused him of rape on the false promise of marriage. The court warned his plea for quashing would be dismissed if he refused.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday advised Tamil film director and politician Seeman to give an unconditional apology to a woman actor who had filed a criminal case against him in 2011. The case relates to allegations that Seeman had a relationship with her on the false promise of marriage and later refused to marry, leading to accusations of rape and other offences.
The case was heard by a bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan. Seeman, who is the leader of Naam Tamilar Katchi party, is facing serious charges including rape, criminal intimidation and cheating under the old Indian Penal Code, along with charges under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.
During the hearing, the bench told Seeman’s lawyer,
“She is the lady. Let the man apologise, bring an end to it.”
Senior advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for the complainant, opposed the idea of any settlement. But the bench warned Seeman that if he did not agree to apologise, then his petition asking for quashing of the criminal case would be dismissed.
The judges said,
“In your counter (affidavit) you say that you will not trouble her in future. You will withdraw all allegations, you will apologise and on all those conditions, your affidavit if we consider it, we may quash the complaint.”
Farasat informed the court that his client had been living outside Tamil Nadu for the last ten years because of constant threats.
On the other side, Seeman’s counsel argued that the complainant had spoken against his client in many interviews. He asked for some more time to get clear instructions from Seeman regarding the possibility of giving an apology.
The bench, however, urged both sides to move on with their lives.
The judges observed,
“See, you are not small children. You know what you have done to each other. Please get out of all this and lead your independent lives. Why do you want litigation?”
The bench also pointed out that the complainant herself had made public statements praising Seeman in the past, and therefore asked her lawyer to explain this contradiction.
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In response, Farasat argued that Seeman had badly maligned his client in public by calling her a sex worker. He further said that this statement was made even though the Supreme Court had already given interim protection to Seeman in March so that both parties could try for a settlement.
After hearing both sides, the bench adjourned the case to September 24 and extended Seeman’s interim stay order till then.
This case reached the Supreme Court after Seeman challenged a Madras High Court order which had refused to quash the criminal case against him. The High Court had instead directed the police to finish their investigation and submit a final report.
The woman complainant had alleged that between 2007 and 2011, she was in a relationship with Seeman because he repeatedly promised to marry her.
But later, he married another woman. She has accused Seeman of sexually exploiting her and emotionally manipulating her during that time.
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