News Analysis India

Tag: Raj Kundra Porn Case

  • ED Freezes Raj Kundra’s Assets, Including Shilpa Shetty’s Juhu Flat, Worth Rs 97 Crore Under PMLA |

    The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday seized assets worth a whopping Rs 98 crore, which includes a luxurious bungalow in Pune and equity shares, all belonging to the renowned actor Shilpa Shetty and her entrepreneur husband Raj Kundra. The case revolves around the misuse of investor funds through the digital currency, Bitcoin. The seized properties comprise a plush residential flat in the upscale Juhu area of Mumbai, currently registered under Shetty’s name, and a residential bungalow in Pune along with equity shares, all in Kundra’s name.

    The ED has issued a provisional attachment order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), effectively freezing these properties valued at Rs 97.79 crore.

    The roots of this money laundering case trace back to FIRs lodged by the Maharashtra Police and Delhi Police against a company named Variable Tech Pte Ltd and several individuals including Late Amit Bhardwaj, Ajay Bhardwaj, Vivek Bhardwaj, Simpy Bhardwaj, Mahender Bhardwaj, and numerous agents. It was alleged that they had amassed a staggering amount of funds in the form of Bitcoins (valued at Rs 6,600 crore in 2017) from unsuspecting public, luring them with false promises of a 10% monthly return in the form of Bitcoins.

    The promoters are accused of duping the investors and concealing the ill-gotten Bitcoins in obscure online wallets. The ED has alleged that Kundra received 285 Bitcoins from Amit Bhardwaj, the mastermind and promoter of the Gain Bitcoin Ponzi scam, for setting up a Bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine.

    Interestingly, Kundra is still in possession of these 285 Bitcoins, which are currently valued at over Rs 150 crore, as per the ED’s statement.

  • Porn case: Director of one of Raj Kundra’s firms arrested

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: A director of one of Raj Kundra’s companies was arrested in connection with the pornography case against the businessman on Thursday, city police said.

    Abhijeet Bomble, a director of one of Kundra’s firm, was arrested by the Mumbai police’s crime branch, said an official.

    Kundra, who is married to actor Shilpa Shetty, was arrested last month for allegedly producing and distributing porn films through an app.

    A related offense was registered at Malvani police station on the complaint of a 25-year-old model who alleged that she was promised roles in shorts films and web series, but in the name of bold scenes she was forced to perform nude scenes.

    Bomble was named as one of the accused in this case, the police official said.

  • Raj Kundra is accused of offense detrimental to society’s ‘health’: Court

    Raj Kundra and his associate Ryan Thorpe were arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch on July 19, and are presently in judicial custody.

  • Raj Kundra’s brother-in law involved in Hotshot app: Shilpa Shetty tells Mumbai Police

    By ANI
    MUMBAI: Actor Shilpa Shetty on Friday, July 23, 2021, told Mumbai Police that London-based Pradeep Bakshi, the brother-in-law of her husband Raj Kundra was involved with the Hotshot app and its functioning, said sources.

    According to sources, Shilpa Shetty told Mumbai Police that she was not aware of the exact content of the Hotshot app claiming she has nothing to do with the application. This is in connection with a case related to the production of pornographic films, in which her husband is the prime accused.

    The actor claimed that her husband Raj Kundra is innocent and was not involved in producing porn content. She stated that it is London-based Pradeep Bakshi who was involved with the Hotshot app and its functioning.

    ALSO READ: Model files complaint against Raj Kundra after getting threats, vulgar calls

    Mumbai Police sources said Shilpa Shetty also mentioned that the content of erotica is different from pornography. She also spoke about the other OTT platforms being full of similar erotica content, which is not considered porn.

    Mumbai Police on Friday conducted a raid at Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra’s residence. Police seized a hard disk and a computer from their residence.

    According to sources, Mumbai police is checking if Shilpa Shetty played an active role in the entire porn racket, in which her husband is the key accused.

    Mumbai Police questioned the actor on her knowledge of the Hotshot app, on which the porn content used to be uploaded.

    She was asked if she was aware of porn content upload related operations being conducted in the premises of the Viaan company.

    Mumbai police is also checking whether any money earned from the porn racket was routed to/from Shilpa Shetty’s accounts or not.

    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. 

  • 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. 

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

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Businessman Raj Kundra on Friday challenged before the Bombay High Court his arrest in a case of alleged production and distribution of pornographic films through apps, saying these videos might be described as “lascivious” but do not show “explicit sexual acts”.

    Kundra (45), the husband of actor Shilpa Shetty, was arrested on July 19 by Mumbai Police.

    A magistrate’s court remanded him in police custody till July 27.

    The petition sought quashing of the lower court’s order.

    The magistrate’s order sending him in police custody violated the law as serving a notice under section 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (before arrest) is mandatory, especially in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, it said.

    ALSO READ | Porn films case: Court extends Raj Kundra’s police remand till July 27

    As per section 41A, the police may, in cases where arrest is not warranted, issue summons to the accused person and record his or her statement.

    The material which the police claim to be pornographic did not “depict direct explicit sexual acts and sexual intercourse but shows material in the form of short movies which are lascivious or appeal to the prurient interest of persons at best”, Kundra’s plea contended.

    Hence section 67A of the Information Technology Act (publishing sexually explicit content) cannot be invoked, and at the most it would attract section 67 (publishing lascivious content), it said.

    On July 19, 2021, the police carried out a search at his office and requested him to go to the police station to record statement, Kundra said.

    ALSO READ | Raj Kundra’s arrest: Actor and wife Shilpa Shetty shares post on ‘surviving challenges’

    “The respondent (police) arrested the petitioner in the police station where he was called under the garb of recording his statement,” the plea alleged.

    After his arrest Kundra was asked to sign a notice issued under section 41A of CrPC which he refused to do, it claimed.

    Further, the sections under which he is booked do not prescribe a sentence of more than seven years in jail, so his arrest, without prior notice under section 41 A, “is completely illegal”, the petition said.

    When the First Information Report (FIR) was registered in February 2021, he was not even named as accused, Kundra said, adding that a charge sheet was filed in the case in April and several other accused are now out on bail.