Mumbai, Mar 23 (IANS): The Bombay High Court Thursday rejected the application of filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar to stay the process against him in a Mumbai metropolitan court in the Preeti Jain rape case.

"Justice R.C. Chavan today (Thursday) refused to stay the trial against Bhandarkar, stating that he will now have to face criminal trial," Jain's lawyer S. Kunjuraman told IANS.

"Bhandarkar has tried his level best to buy time by approaching various courts and filing several pleas. But now he has exhausted all his tricks and will have to face trial," he added.

In July 2004, Jain had lodged a complaint alleging that Bhandarkar had raped her several times between 1999 and 2004 under the pretext of marrying her and casting her as actress in his movies.

A Mumbai metropolitan court had, in September last year, found substance in Jain's complaint, and issued process against Bhandarkar, directing him to face the trial.

However, the magistrate's court had, in November last year granted anticipatory bail to the Bollywood filmmaker in the case.