Mumbai: Actor Aditya Pancholi was present at the Bombay High Court on Tuesday for the 28th hearing regarding his petition to dismiss the FIR against him in a rape case.

The case was initiated by a female actor in 2019. Pancholi stated that he could not comment further on the legal proceedings, with the case's outcome expected on March 4. His attorney, Prashant Patil, mentioned that they are seeking to quash the FIR related to rape (IPC 376 and other sections) that was filed at the Versova police station in 2019, with the next hearing scheduled for March 4.

Patil informed a news agency, "The complainant is a female actor, and the accused is Aditya Pancholi. Today’s hearing reiterated the request to cancel the FIR. The public prosecutor representing the police noted that the victim failed to appear for the investigation despite receiving 11 notices from the police."

Following this, the High Court issued another notice, instructing the parties to appear on the next scheduled date. Notably, there has been contention surrounding the FIR filed on June 27, 2019, with the defense arguing that the complaint was lodged nearly 15 years after the alleged incident, claiming that the action is malicious. The petition references the Supreme Court's 'Bhajan Lal' ruling to support the request for dismissal.

Patil added, "Prior to the FIR being filed, an individual met with Aditya Pancholi, and we possess a recording of that meeting, which we presented in court to demonstrate the wrongful intent behind the FIR and why it should be dismissed."

On Tuesday, a lawyer representing the complainant requested additional time from the court to consult with his client and present their case. The matter remains pending, with the next hearing set for March 4, 2026.