Photographer arrested for raping aspiring actress

The woman, a resident of Barrackpore, had come to the city to get a break in the Tollywood industry.

About two months ago, she met Dan at Tollygunge, who promised that he would get her a break in a Bengali soap opera. The two eventually began living together in a floor of a building, in Regent Park area, which the girl rented.

Police said that everything was apparently gone fine for a while, till the girl eventually understood that Dan had no intention of helping her in her career. She realised that Dan had been lying to her since the start and he did not even have any connections or influence to get any new comer a breakthrough.

The girl eventually went to Regent Park police station and lodged an FIR against Dan. Sources in the police confirmed that in the complaint, the girl told police that she had been raped severely by Dan on July 28. The accused also threatened her by saying that he would post compromising pictures of the girl on the Internet if she went to the police.

“Aniket took those pictures while they were living together and threatened the girl to post them right away if she went to the police. The girl was scared that she would be defamed if it happened and that her family residing in Barrackpore would come to know about everything. But she gained the courage to come to the police,” an investigating officer said.

Dan came from a middle-class background and was earlier staying with his family in Burdwan. He came to Kolkata a few years ago to establish himself as an actor and director in Tollywood. Later, he became known for his photography in the industry.

Dan was produced in Alipore Court, after which he was sent to police custody. While in court, the accused denied all allegations against him and said that he was being trapped. Meanwhile, the victim was taken to the hospital to undergo necessary medical tests. 

The Regent park house, where the victim was living with Dan, was raided by police. Investigators raided some other places as well, where he used to go for photo shoots. Some other aspiring actors and models, and producers who knew Dan were also grilled.

The neighbours of the accused said they had issues with him as well. “He was living in my house as I rented him a floor. But every alternate night, he used to come in with a different girl. We are a cultured family. We drove him out of the house,” said the woman who owns the building.

“I have no idea that such a thing happened. Those two were residing here saying, they were married to each other,” a woman said, who is owner of the Regent Park house.