Film producer Karim Morani, who made several hit films including the Shahrukh Khan starrer Chennai Express, was arrested for allegedly raping a 25-year-old woman on the pretext of marrying her, Telangana police said on Saturday.
Morani surrendered at the Hayatnagar police station in Hyderabad late on on Friday night, hours after the Supreme Court upheld an order passed by the Hyderabad high court cancelling the anticipatory bail granted to him.
“He was formally arrested. After completing the mandatory medical formalities, he would be produced before the court today (Saturday), ” Hayatnagar police inspector J Narender Goud told Hindustan Times.
Morani claims the sexual relationship was consensual.
Morani – also an accused in the 2G telecom scam — is the latest among several film personalities charged with sexual assault. On Friday, Bhojpuri film actor, Manoj Pandey, was arrested in Thane for allegedly raping a 27-year-old singer-actress on the pretext of marrying her.
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In January, a woman lodged a complaint with Hayatnagar police alleging that Morani had lured her into sexual relation by promising to marry her. She said she was raped repeatedly in Mumbai and also twice at the Ramoji Film City on the outskirts of Hyderabad between September and October, 2015.
She alleged that Morani shot her nude pictures and videos on his mobile and blackmailed her, stating that he would share the pictures with her friends
Police booked Morani on several charges including rape, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation.
The woman, who had done her Bachelor of Business Management (BBA) from Delhi, said she had befriended Morani through his daughter, who was also a theatre artiste in Mumbai.
The complainant is said to be interested in acting and sought his help.
A trial court in Hyderabad granted him anticipatory bail, which was challenged by the police in high court, saying there were concrete evidences of Morani’s crime.
After the high court cancelled his bail, Morani moved the Supreme Court through his counsel Mukul Rohatgi.
Besides Chennai Express, Morani produced several other hit films including Dilwale, Happy New Year and Ra.One.
