
Casting couch: Film producer denied anticipatory bail
Ahmedabad: A city sessions court on Friday denied anticipatory bail to a self-proclaimed film producer who was accused of a casting couch incident by a TV actress in April. The 30-year-old woman, who acts in Gujarati TV serials, had filed the complaint with Vasna police, accusing the man of rape, cheating and extorting Rs 20 lakh.
She stated that she had met the accused in Aug 2022 at a party in Mumbai, where he introduced himself as a film producer and promised her roles in feature films.
They remained in touch and developed a close friendship. In Feb 2023, the complainant rented a flat in Vasna, where she allegedly lived with the accused.
He allegedly promised her marriage and persuaded her into an intimate relationship, saying he would legally separate from his wife who had purportedly demanded Rs 5 lakh as settlement.
Vasna police charged the accused with cheating, blackmail, criminal intimidation and rape.
Fearing arrest, the producer sought anticipatory bail while maintaining innocence in the case with public prosecutor Sudhir Brahmbhatt opposing his plea.
After the hearing, additional sessions judge H G Pandya said, "In view of the fact that the applicant made the complainant a victim of casting couch and threatened to circulate videos of her private moments, which indicates that such acts were committed by the applicant…Since the present applicant appears to be the main accused in the offence and is actively and primarily involved, as evident from the investigation papers, and considering the nature of the offence, it does not appear justifiable or appropriate to grant anticipatory bail to the applicant at this stage.
"

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
18 minutes ago
- Time of India
Court orders confiscation of assets of Azamgarh liquor don
1 2 Lucknow: In a first-of-its-kind action against illicit liquor trade, the special Gangster Act court of Ambedkar Nagar has declared property worth Rs 1.75 crore belonging to alleged liquor mafia Motilal Gupta as govt property, following his conviction for manufacturing and distributing spurious country-made liquor that led to multiple deaths across several districts. Motilal Gupta, a resident of Mittupur village under Pawai police station in Azamgarh, was running a large-scale operation of brewing counterfeit country liquor. The liquor, packaged with fake wrappers bearing names of reputed brands and filled in glass bottles, was sold extensively across nearby villages and districts. The illicit operation came under the scanner after a major tragedy on May 10, 2021, when several villagers from Singhora in Jaitpur consumed the toxic liquor. That evening, Amit Chauhan—a local resident—died, while others including Mahesh Chauhan, Jaisraj Chauhan, and Sonu Chaturvedi fell critically ill. Over the following days, Jaisraj Chauhan died on May 21, Ram Subhag Chauhan (a retired information officer), and residents Ravi (from Choudhaprash), Lallan Singh (from Sohagupur), and Shyam Singh (from Mahangipur, Katka) also succumbed. Similar fatalities were later reported from other districts due to consumption of the same poisonous brew. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Motilal Gupta—allegedly operating as a liquor contractor—was arrested and sent to jail. On Jul 23, 2021, he and 10 associates were booked under the UP Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. Gupta had later challenged the property seizure initiated by the Ambedkar Nagar district magistrate dated May 13, 2022, arguing confiscated assets—including plots and a newly constructed double-storey house—had been legally acquired. However, the court, after thorough examination, found that neither Gupta nor his wife Suman Devi could furnish valid documentation or prove lawful sources of income for purchasing and developing the properties. In its verdict, the special court confirmed that the properties had been acquired through unlawful earnings from the illicit liquor trade and ordered their permanent confiscation in favour of the state govt. "The court has upheld the seizure of property acquired through illegal activities. Motilal Gupta's assets worth Rs 1.75 crore have now been declared state property," confirmed Ambedkar Nagar superintendent of police Keshav Kumar.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
2 Nepalese among 4 held for cyber fraud
1 2 Jaipur: Four men, including two Nepalese nationals and two Delhi residents, were arrested from a city hotel for their involvement in a cyber fraud operation with links to Chinese cybercriminals. The gang is believed to have facilitated fraudulent transactions worth Rs 24.4 crore, with complaints registered on the national cybercrime reporting portal from several states, including Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. Police identified the accused as Lal Dorge Tamang and Suaj Tamang from Nepal, and Pawan Jain and Abbu Shahma from Delhi. The arrests were made following an FIR lodged earlier in 2025. Twelve mobile phones, one laptop, and three cheque books were recovered from the suspects during the operation. According to DCP (Crime) Kundan Kanwaria, the racket was led by Lal Dorge Tamang, a resident of Sindhupalchowk in Nepal. He created a well-organised network that supported Chinese cybercriminals by supplying them with mule bank accounts. These accounts were used to route illicit funds, and the accused managed them through social media platforms and encrypted messaging apps like Telegram. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The gang's modus operandi involved renting bank accounts from individuals in exchange for a commission. The account holders were instructed to install a suspicious APK file on their phones. Once installed, the app gave Chinese handlers remote access to the devices, allowing them to control the bank accounts and conduct transactions from afar. The commissions were paid in USDT, a cryptocurrency commonly used in illegal online operations. The suspects earned between 2 to 5 percent per transaction, with Lal Dorge receiving 4 to 5 percent from the Chinese operators. He, in turn, passed on 2 to 2.5 percent to the mule account holders. Police received a tip-off about suspicious individuals staying at Hotel Sanjay Palace near Polo Victory in Jaipur. Upon investigation, they found that these individuals were involved in procuring and renting out bank accounts to cybercriminal groups based in China. The investigation also revealed that Pawan Jain, a resident of Rohini North in Delhi, was in regular contact with a woman named Sushma, believed to be the mastermind behind the gang. Sushma, currently based in Dubai, served as the key link between the Chinese groups and their Indian and Nepalese associates.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Insurer must cover compensation for accident involving relief vehicle, rules Karnataka high court
Bengaluru: Karnataka high court has ruled that the insurance company must cover compensation for an accident involving a relief or spare vehicle used following the breakdown of a scheduled bus. The court stated that such use doesn't constitute a fundamental breach of permit conditions exempting the insurer from liability. The court's decision came after it allowed appeals filed by two victims and the bus owner in connection with an accident that occurred on Jan 21, 2014. At approximately 11.45am, Ganesh and Basavaraj were travelling on a motorcycle from Mudur to Haveri. Near the sugar factory in Sangur village, a high-speed private bus collided with the motorcycle, causing both riders to fall and sustain grievous injuries. The duo subsequently filed petitions seeking compensation. On Jan 24, 2017, the motor accident claims tribunal in Haveri awarded compensation, placing liability on the bus owner, KM Altaf Hussain, on the grounds that the bus had deviated from its permitted route, violating permit conditions. Ganesh received Rs 3,71,030, and Basavaraj was awarded Rs 1,27,250. The claimants appealed for increased compensation, while Altaf appealed, arguing that the insurance company should settle the compensation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Skype Phone Alternative Undo He contended that although the bus had a permit only from Shivamogga to Hangal, it travelled beyond Hangal to Haveri and was being used as a relief vehicle when the accident occurred. Justice Hanchate Sanjeevkumar, after reviewing the materials on record, noted that the vehicle was employed as a relief vehicle under compelling circumstances, which did not amount to a fundamental breach of conditions. He determined that the tribunal had erred by not exempting the case as per Rule 57 of the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, given the route deviation was under compelling circumstances. Allowing the claimants' appeals, the judge also increased the compensation payable to Ganesh to Rs 7,15,550, considering the severity of his injuries. It awarded Basavaraj Rs 2,24,810. The compensation must be paid by United Insurance Company Limited, the insurer of the vehicle.