Nine high-profile men, including Jackky Bhagnani, booked for rape, molestation
A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed by the Bandra Police against nine highly influential men with ties to Bollywood on allegations of rape and molestation. The complaint was lodged by a former model-turned-independent artist and songwriter earlier this month, according to media reports. Photographer Colston Julian, Kwan Entertainment's co-founder Anirban Das Blah, and actor/producer Jackky Bhagnani are some of the accused.
Julian had raped the complainant multiple times in four years
The other names mentioned in the FIR are Krishan Kumar, Nikhil Kamat, Sheel Gupta, Ajit Thakur, Gurujyot Singh, and Vishnu Wardhan Induri. Apart from complaints of molestation and harassment, the FIR copy noted that Julian had raped the complainant multiple times between 2014 and 2018.
'FIR registered after significant delay, arrests yet to be made'
Speaking to Mid-day, the complainant said that the FIR was registered quite a few days after the complaint was filed, and to date, no arrests have been made. As per the report, the accuser had approached the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Zone 10, Dr. Maheshwar Reddy on May 10, who then directed an officer at Andheri Police station to record her statement.
Statement recorded on May 18, FIR registered on May 26
The woman finally gave her statement on May 18, and the matter was forwarded to Zone 9 DCP's jurisdiction in Bandra. This is because the majority of the alleged sexual abuse incidents had taken place in Bandra between 2012 and 2019. Based on her recorded statement, the FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on May 26.
Accuracy of allegations being verified currently, said an inspector
The complainant said that she has submitted all pieces of evidence against her alleged abusers, still "Why are the police further delaying the arrest of the accused?" When asked about the reason behind this, inspector Sagar Nikam told the portal that they were currently "collecting the pieces of evidence that the survivor claims to possess against [the accused]" and that their "investigations are underway."
'Julian has gone underground, Bhagnani not in the country'
A woman police officer has already accompanied the complainant to visit the locations in Mumbai, where she had been allegedly sexually assaulted. According to the woman, Julian has gone underground, as his Bandra house was locked and his car was not there when they visited his abode. Also, Bhagnani is reportedly not in India at the moment, and will return to Mumbai in September.
Blah was named by four women during the #MeToo movement
To note, this is not the first time Blah has been accused of sexual assault. In 2018, the co-founder of the talent management agency was named in the #MeToo movement as well, by as many as four women. When his partners instructed him to resign from his post, Blah admitted to his crimes in a letter, and even "tried to commit suicide."
