Raj Kundra sent in police custody till July 23 in porn case

Mumbai: Businessman Raj Kundra, remanded in police custody till July 23 by a Mumbai court on Tuesday in a porn films case, was involved in making and selling pornographic material and gaining financially from the illegal activity, the crime branch alleged while seeking his remand.

Kundra (45), husband of Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty, was arrested by the Mumbai crime branch on Monday night in a case, which it said, related to alleged creation of pornographic films and publishing them through some apps.

The police claimed there were several WhatsApp chats that revealed Kundra was involved in the financial dealings of apps and their contents.

Calling Raj the "key conspirator", police also said three women have come forward with complaints in the case, saying they were "forced to act in pornographic movies".

The accused persons took advantage of struggling models, actors and other workers, and made them work in these pornographic movies, the police said.

Kundra was taken into custody after being booked under Indian Penal Code 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, the official said.

Nine arrests have been made so far. One of them, identified as Ryan Thorpe, was working on a senior position with an app firm, from his office along with Kundra after an enquiry into the matter,

an official said. Kundra and Thorpe were produced before a magistrate's court here which remanded both

of them in police custody till

July 23.

In their remand note, the police alleged that the accused persons "made profits in lakhs in this illegal business."

The police further alleged that the pornographic material was uploaded on an app 'HotShots' that was developed by a company, Arms Prime Pvt Ltd, owned by Kundra.

They said another arrested accused Umesh Kamat, a former employee of Kundra, told police that the app was later sold to Kenrin Pvt Ltd, a c owned by Kundra's relative Pradeep Bakshi.

The police said they have seized Kundra's mobile phone and its contents need to be scrutinised and also his business dealings and transactions have to be looked into.

Appearing for Kundra, senior counsel Aabad Ponda and advocate Subhash Jadhav opposed the police's plea for remand and said the investigation into the case can be carried out without custodial interrogation.

As the case hit headlines, an actress claimed in an undated video in circulation on Tuesday that she was offered a role in a web series allegedly being produced by Kundra but was asked to audition for the part in the nude.

This is the second case that Kundra faces in connection with alleged creation of pornographic content.

The sessions court is yet to hear the anticipatory bail plea.