In a setback to socialite Sheetal Atulya Mafatlal, the Supreme Court dismissed her plea challenging the Bombay High Court order which had directed her prosecution for allegedly filing a false case regarding theft of 31 paintings. A Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and Navin Sinha was hearing the case in which initially in 2011, Sheetal’s step daughter had lodged a complaint with the police that 48 paintings were taken away from their home allegedly by her step-mother.
Acting on her complaint, the trial court had ordered registration of FIR and during the investigation, it was found that Sheetal had kept 31 paintings in a flat of her friend.
Later, the family entered into consent agreement by which custody of 31 paintings was given to Sheetal and proceedings against her were quashed by the court in September 2012.