Businessman and husband of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra was arrested along with 11 other people in charges related to publishing and production of pornographic films. The Mumbai Police first arrested Kundra on July 19 on the basis of an FIR registered in February. A five-month long investigation leading up to his arrest revealed that alleged pornographic content was distributed over subscription-based mobile apps like HotHit Movies and Hotshots, as well as websites like Hothitmovies, Nuefliks, and Escapenow. Accounts of witnesses and complainants revealed that the accused threatened actors, who hoped for a big break in films or web series, to get them to comply, reported Hindustan Times.
Here’s what has happened in the case so far.
July 20: The Property Cell of Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch took Raj Kundra for a medical examination at JJ hospital. From there he was later taken to Mumbai Police Commissioner’s office where he spent the night in the custody of the Crime Branch. He was produced before the Killa Court on July 20.
July 22: Crime Branch reportedly recovered 70 videos shot by Kundra’s PA Umesh Kamat.
July 23: Kundra’s wife Shilpa Shetty is questioned by the Crime Branch for her alleged involvement in the businesses of her husband. She denies knowledge of porn films and discloses to authorities that they were merely erotica.
July 27: Kundra’s police custody, which got over July 23, was extended by the court till July 27. After this, he was sent to a 14-day judicial custody.
July 29: Kundra had filed a plea challenging his arrest by the Mumbai Police on the grounds that the police did not issue him summons before his arrest.
Aug 2: Bombay High Court reserved its order on a plea filed by Kundra and his associate Ryan Thorpe claiming that their arrest was illegal as no legal notice was served to them.
Aug 5: Metropolitan magistrate court rejected the bail pleas of Kundra and his associate Thorpe in the pornography case.
Aug 8: Bombay High Court rejects pleas by businessman Kundra and his associate Thorpe. They had both challenged remand orders passed by the Magistrate Court in the pornography case seeking release from custody.
Aug 13: The crime branch of Mumbai Police formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the porn racket case in which Kundra is a prime accused.
Aug 18: The Bombay High Court grants interim protection from arrest to Kundra in connection with a porn films racket case.
Aug 25: Bombay High Court on Wednesday continued an interim protection from arrest till September 8 to businessman Kundra and his associate Umesh Kamat, in connection with the porn films racket case.
Sep 13: In a further relief to Kundra, the Bombay High Court extended protection against arrest till September 20 in an alleged porn film racket case registered by Cyber Crime Cell.
Sep 15: Mumbai Police filed a supplementary charge sheet in the porn films case against Kundra and associates. The nearly 1,500-page chargesheet against Kundra and his associate Ryan Thorpe was filed before a magistrate court by the crime branch, terming Kundra as the “main facilitator” in the porn films case.
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