WAS RAJ KUNDRA IN THE BUSINESS OF PORNOGRAPHY?
THE BUSINESSMAN’S ARREST THROWS OPEN MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW HE EARNED HIS MONEY AND WHAT REALLY WAS HIS BUSINESS
Raj Kundra, husband of the highprofile actress Shilpa Shetty, in a pornography-related case, has been arrested and the court remanded the businessman in police custody until July 23. More details of the porn racket are likely to emerge during questioning by the police. However, Kundra has pleaded ‘not guilty’ and has applied for anticipatory bail.
WAS BEING WATCHED
Kundra is believed to have been under constant surveillance since February this year, around the time model and actress Gehana Vasisth was arrested by the property cell of the Mumbai crime branch in connection with the same online pornographic racket case. The police was able to zero in on Kundra after they stumbled upon hard evidence, as a result of strong electronic surveillance.
It is further learned that though Kundra’s name had surfaced in the initial stages of investigations, but to make a watertight case, the sleuths didn’t rush the investigation, instead waited for clinching evidence.
WHAT THE PUNISHMENT COULD BE
Raj Kundra was booked under IPC Sections 420 (cheating), 34 (common intention), 292 and 293 (related to obscene and indecent advertisements and displays) and relevant sections of the IT Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.
Shraddha Gupta, senior associate, the law chambers and partner, Accord Juris, points out that while there is no specific law, it is regulated through Indian Penal Code and Information and Technology Act, which deal with obscenity, and pornography falls under obscene content. “In Kundra’s case, he was publishing such content on media, which is available for circulation and public viewing. It is an offence under Section 292 of Indian Penal Code and Section 67, 67A of Information Tech Act. Indecent Representation of Women’s Act, 1986 also can be used to prohibit indecent representation of women through advertisements or in publications, writings, paintings, figures or in any other,” elaborates Shraddha, adding, that Kundra, if convicted, could face up to 7 years imprisonment.
KEY EVIDENCE
Investigators are believed to be in possession of certain WhatsApp chats between him and another accused, Pradeep Bakshi, who’s also an associate of Raj Kundra. WhatsApp chats between Kundra and Bakshi, on a group chat with several other names involved in the conversation, reveal how the transaction of money was made. Apparently, huge moolah, running into several lakhs of rupees, was earned through pornographic content. After Raj Kundra’s arrest, the Mumbai police arrested one more person in connection with the case. The accused, identified as Ryan Thorpe, was picked up from his office on Monday night along with Kundra after an enquiry. Thorpe was working on a senior position with an app firm.
KUNDRA’S HOTSHOTS APP?
Many apps have been developed after the OTT platforms started booming, on which sexual acts can be viewed. Hotshots is one such app. It earlier had
a lot of short erotic movies.
In February 2021, an employee at Hotshots by the name of Umesh Kamat was arrested following a complaint by one Sagarika Shona Suman, alleging that Umesh and Raj Kundra had made her do various pornographic acts which were filmed and shown on the app. While Kamat was sacked,
Raj denied involvement, adding that he had exited the business a year ago and was not connected with the app in any way. He had alleged that the ‘false allegations’ had been made by persons with mala fide intentions. He said whatever Umesh Kamat had done was without his authority, and denied knowledge of it.
POONAM’S CASE
AGAINST KUNDRA
Bollywood actress Poonam Pandey opened up about businessman and Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra’s recent arrest by the Mumbai Police in a pornography-related case. She shared, “At this moment my heart goes out to Shilpa Shetty & her kids. I can’t imagine what she must be going through. So, I refuse to use this opportunity to highlight my trauma. The only thing I’ll add is that I have filed a police complaint in 2019 against Raj Kundra and subsequently registered a case at the honourable high court of Bombay against him for fraud & theft. This matter is sub judice, hence I would prefer to limit my statements. Also, I have full faith in our police & the judicial process (sic),” she further added in reference to a criminal case filed
by her against Raj Kundra and his associates.