Bollywood actor-producer Aditya Pancholi has been booked for rape and assault after an actress registered a complaint with the Versova police in Mumbai on Thursday.
The Mumbai police said that Pancholi has not yet been detained and inquiries are on. The actress has levelled many allegations including abuse, threats and house arrest. She reportedly also alleged that he intoxicated and raped her, and took pictures of the act to blackmail her for Rs 50 lakhs.
The incidents allegedly took place between 2005 and 2008, and though the actress brought it to light then no action was taken. Both Pancholi and his wife Zarina Wahab denied the allegations saying he was being falsely implicated and filed a defamation case against her.
According to a report by the Hindu, the spokesperson for Mumbai police, DCP Manjunath Singe said the initial inquiry will begin soon, “We have recorded a detailed statement from the victim, and registered an offence of rape, wrongful restraint, assault and criminal intimidation under the Indian Penal Code. As the offence occurred several years ago, we will have to visit the locations named by the victim and get in touch with those she has named.”
Pancholi is a leading actor and producer in Bollywood, and his last film was Bajirao Mastani in 2015, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Bollywood celebrities are yet to respond to the case.
However, Rangoli Chandel, Kangana Ranaut’s sister took to Twitter today to say that Pancholi also extorted Rs 1 crore from Kangana and her. Two years ago, Kangana Ranaut had alleged on a TV show that Pancholi assaulted and abused her when she was starting out in Bollywood years ago. She claimed that she reached out to his wife Zarina Wahab during the assault, but Zarina denied this.
This week, Kangana and Rangoli have received summons from a Mumbai court for four different defamation cases filed against them by Pancholi, reports NDTV.
Whoever it may concern, complain against Pancholi had been lodged in 2007 for physical abuse harassment and extortion, he has taken more than 1cr from Kangana saying he has fed her for 3 months when she was homeless ( grocery bill of three months ?)…(contd)
— Rangoli Chandel (@Rangoli_A) June 28, 2019
(Contd)… but he wanted more money after that, last message of extortion I myslef received from him was in 2016 which has been submitted to cops and now FIR has been lodged, she had absolutely no time for all this…(contd)
— Rangoli Chandel (@Rangoli_A) June 28, 2019
(Contd)… but everyday cases from him and his wife needs to be fought as they are finding lot of strength in the fact that Kangana is very busy so I have revived this case on her behalf, so her work isn’t disturbed ?
— Rangoli Chandel (@Rangoli_A) June 28, 2019
Image Courtesy: NDTV
