Tag: Raj Kundra case

  • Element of inducement, key ingredient in cheating cases, missing from Raj Kundra case: Court

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A local court, while granting bail to businessman Raj Kundra, a key accused in a pornographic films case, noted that the element of inducement, which is the prime ingredient in cheating offences, appears to be missing from the case presented by the prosecution.

    Kundra (46) was granted bail on Monday and a detailed order of the court was made available on Tuesday.

    Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate S B Bhajipale, in the bail order, also said all servers, laptops and mobile phones of the accused persons and their companies were already in custody of the police and hence there was no possibility of tampering with evidence.

    Kundra and his associate and co-accused Ryan Thorpe were granted bail by the court on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 each.

    Kundra, the husband of Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty, and Thorpe were arrested by the Mumbai police’s crime branch on July 19 in the case which relates to alleged creation of pornographic films and publishing them through mobile apps.

    They were booked under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Information Technology Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.

    The magistrate said all other co-accused in the case are out on bail and hence the applicant (Kundra) cannot be kept behind bars till conclusion of the trial.

    “If the statements of the witnesses are perused then the element of inducement, which is the prime ingredient of cheating, appears to be missing from the case of the prosecution,” the court said in its order.

    The police had claimed Kundra and the other accused had lured small-time and struggling actors with a promise of roles in small movies and had later forced them into acting in pornographic films and subsequently uploaded the adult content on mobile apps.

    The court, in its bail order, noted that the offences under which Kundra has been booked are not punishable for more than seven years.

    It further said the police have already filed a charge-sheet in the case.

    The businessman and Thorpe were named in a supplementary charge-sheet filed by the police in the court last week.

    “It is better to mention here that the trial will take its own time and, in such circumstances, it will not be proper to keep the accused in custody, when they are ready to furnish surety for their appearance and to abide by the conditions imposed by the court,” the order said.

    The court, while granting bail to Kundra, directed him not to leave India without its prior permission and not to threaten any witness in the case.

    Kundra, lodged in the Arthur Road jail in central Mumbai under judicial custody, walked out of the prison shortly after 11.30 am on Tuesday after completing requisite formalities.

  • Pornography case: Mumbai court to hear bail plea of Raj Kundra, Ryan Thorpe

    By ANI

    MUMBAI: Mumbai sessions court will hear the bail plea of actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband and businessman Raj Kundra and his associate Ryan Thorpe today, August 5, 2021, in connection with the pornography case.

    Currently, both are in judicial custody in the Pornography case. Earlier, their bail applications were rejected by Esplanade magistrate court, stating that the release of the accused will ‘hamper the investigation’ and the alleged offence is ‘detrimental to the health of the society’.

    On August 2, the Bombay High Court reserved its order on petitions filed by businessman Raj Kundra and his associate Ryan Thorpe challenging their arrest in a case in connection with the pornography racket case.

    During the proceedings of the court, the investigating officer told the court that 68 pornography videos were found on Kundra’s laptop.

    Police added that a film script with sexual content was also found on Kundra’s personal laptop.

    On July 27, a court in Mumbai sent actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband and businessman Raj Kundra along with his associate Ryan Thorpe to judicial custody for 14 days.

    Kundra was arrested by police on July 19 along with 11 other people on charges related to the alleged creation of pornographic films.

    Earlier on July 25, police had informed that four employees of Kundra have turned witnesses against him in the pornography racket case, increasing troubles for him.

    Kundra has been named as the key conspirator by the Mumbai Police which has slapped charges against him under Sections 420 (cheating), 34 (common intention), 292 and 293 (related to obscene and indecent advertisements and displays) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) besides relevant sections of the IT Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act. 

  • Raj Kundra case: Model files complaint after getting threats, vulgar calls

    By ANI
    MUMBAI: Model Sagarika Shona Suman on Friday, July 23, 2021, lodged a complaint in Oshiwara Police station in Mumbai that she is receiving threatening and vulgar calls on social media following her allegations against businessman Raj Kundra.

    “I wish to complain about several threatening, abusive and vulgar calls that I have been receiving for the last three days on Facebook and Instagram messenger from unknown, fake and automated accounts, regarding the Raj Kundra matter, in which I had complained regarding the same,” stated the complaint.

    Suman informed that she has temporarily deactivated her social media accounts in wake of the threat messages.

    ALSO READ: ‘Films do not contain explicitly sexual acts’: Raj Kundra moves HC against arrest

    “The calls from unknown persons have threatened to kill or rape, besides being very vulgar and abusive. For the moment. I have temporarily deactivated my Facebook and Instagram accounts as the above-mentioned calls were becoming a big nuisance and were very annoying as they were being made even at very odd hours,” she said.

    The model said she is willing to join any investigation regarding the case against Raj Kundra.

    “I fear lot my life as there could be some lunatic and crazy people out there, who being fans or friends of Raj Kundra, could go to any extent to harm me or my family. I request you to take stringent and strict action In this matter and even register an FIR if need be and arrest the concerned accused persons who are giving threats to rape me and threats to my life. I am willing to join any investigation in the above matter, provide further details and request you to take the requisite action,” Suman said.

    Earlier in a video clip, the model had claimed that Kundra offered her a role in a web series and allegedly asked to give an audition in the nude.

    ALSO READ: Cops say Raj Kundra’s company was running operations of UK entity linked to porn

    “In August 2020, I got a call from Umesh Kamat, who offered me a web series produced by Kundra. When I joined the video call, he demanded a nude audition that I refused,” she had said.

    Suman even had held a press conference and reported the same in February this year.

    A Mumbai court on Friday sent actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband and businessman Raj Kundra and his associate Ryan Thorpe to police custody till July 27 in connection with a case related to the production of pornographic films.

    Mumbai Police told the Court that they suspect money earned from pornography was used for online betting. Raj Kundra was arrested by Mumbai Police for allegedly creating pornographic films and publishing them through some mobile applications on Monday night.

    The Mumbai Police on Tuesday informed that the Property Cell of its Crime Branch had so far arrested a total of 11 people, including Kundra for their alleged involvement in the crime.

    “He appears to be the key conspirator. We have sufficient evidence regarding this,” Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale had said.

    The case was registered with Crime Branch Mumbai in February 2021 about the creation of pornographic films and the use of apps.