MUMBAI: Bollywood producer-director Shakeel Noorani, 73, has been arrested from a farmhouse in Maharashtra’s Satara district after allegedly being on the run for 40 days following a complaint by an aspiring actress who accused him of rape, blackmail and causing her miscarriage.Noorani was arrested by Mumbai Police on Saturday and produced before a local court, which remanded him to police custody till August 12.The 33-year-old woman has alleged that Noorani sexually assaulted her repeatedly over a period of four years after allegedly spiking her drink, and later threatened her with a video of the assault.The case has been registered at Malwani police station under Sections 64(2)(M) (rape), 123 (causing hurt by means of poison), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 88 (causing miscarriage) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Woman alleges assault after film script meeting
According to the woman’s complaint, Noorani called her to his residence in Mumbai’s Malwani area around four years ago on the pretext of discussing a film script.She alleged that Noorani spiked her drink and raped her. When she regained consciousness, he allegedly showed her a video of the assault recorded on his mobile phone.The woman claimed Noorani threatened to circulate the video if she approached the police or informed her family.She alleged that he subsequently used the video to blackmail her and sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions over the next four years.The woman also alleged that Noorani repeatedly gave her contraceptive pills after the assaults. According to police, she further alleged that Noorani poisoned her, resulting in a miscarriage.
Police trace Noorani to Maharashtra farmhouse
Noorani went into hiding after the FIR was registered around 40 days ago, police said.Investigators searched several locations, including the house of Noorani’s son in Lokhandwala, Andheri, but were unable to find him.Police eventually traced him to a farmhouse in Medha, in Maharashtra’s Satara district, using technical inputs.“A police team even searched his son’s house in Lokhandwala, Andheri. We traced him to a farmhouse in Medha, Satara. Our Medha police counterparts detained him. Our team then took his custody,” said a Malwani police officer.The police team brought Noorani to Mumbai on Saturday and formally placed him under arrest.DCP (Zone 2) Sandip Ghuge said investigators had been gathering information and tracking leads since the complaint was filed.“He went into hiding after the FIR was filed 40 days ago. A police team even searched his son’s house in Lokhandwala, Andheri. We traced him to a farmhouse in Medha, Satara. Our Medha police counterparts detained him. Our team then took his custody,” said a Malwani police officer.
Noorani denies allegations
Noorani’s lawyer, Vikas Singh Goar, told TOI that his client had been falsely implicated.The police have invoked provisions of the BNS relating to rape, causing hurt by means of poison, criminal intimidation and causing miscarriage.Following his arrest, Noorani was produced before a local court, which remanded him to police custody till August 12.The allegations against Noorani are yet to be established in court.Noorani, who has also worked as a scriptwriter and producer, has directed several Hindi films.His filmography includes Vishnu Devaa (1991), Shreeman Aashique (1993), Bade Dilwala (1999) and Joru Ka Ghulam (2000).Joru Ka Ghulam, released in 2000, starred Govinda, while Bade Dilwala featured Suniel Shetty.
