Kundra planned to launch app to circulate porn, say police
MUMBAI: Days after businessman and actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra was arrested, the Mumbai Police on Wednesday said that Kundra, his brother-in-law Pardeep Bakshi and their manager Umesh Kamat had plans to launch ‘Bollyfame’, a mobile application to circulate pornographic content from February 20 this year. However, the plan was dropped after Kamat’s arrest on February 7, police said.
A crime branch officer said that according to the investigation so far, Kundra and his associates started working on a new app after Apple and Google stores removed some of the apps last year.
The officer added that the accused also created a WhatsApp group in the name of the proposed application ‘Bollyfame’ and that Kundra had revealed his plans on the group to Kamat and others.
The racket came to light after the property cell of the Mumbai police registered a case on February 4 based on the inputs about filming of porn at a bungalow in Madh Island.
The cell raided the bungalow and arrested five people, including two women.
The police said they rescued a young woman who was allegedly lured by an offer to act in a short film. On Tuesday, the property cell inspected Kundra’s office in Andheri and seized the server and other equipment.
Police said they are scrutinising subscription hits, WhatsApp chats, agreement papers, emails and account details seized from Kundra’s office.
Police on Monday night arrested Kundra and one Ryan Thorpe, a Nerul resident and an expert in information technology, who allegedly helped maintain the Hotshot mobile app that streamed pornographic content through two of his associates. Kundra and Thorpe are in police custody till July 23.