An FIR has been registered against three-four producers of businessman Raj Kundra's company. Actor Gehana Vasisth has also been named as one of the accused in the case related to a pornography racket, the Mumbai Police has been quoted by ANI as saying.
As per a report by India Today, the producers were associated with HotShots, the app owned by Kundra's company. However, the FIR has no mention of Kundra.
The report also states that the latest FIR was filed on the basis of a complaint by a Mumbai-based model. In her statement to the Crime Branch, the model reportedly said that she was promised a role in a big-budget Hindi film, but then forced to work in adult movies. Since the alleged incident took place under the limits of Mumbai's Malvani police station, the FIR was filed there on Tuesday.
The case will now be referred to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.
The Court had remanded Raj Kundra, and one Ryan Thorpe, to 14 more days of judicial custody. The Mumbai Police had named Kundra as the primary conspirator in the case. He has reportedly been charged under IPC Sections 420 (cheating), 34 (criminal acts with general intent), 292 and 293 (related to obscene and erotic advertisements and performance), and 67 and 67 A of the IT Act.
According to reports, the Mumbai Police have also found a PowerPoint presentation that reveals the revenue targets set by Kundra. Midday reported that Kundra projected a revenue of approximately Rs. 36.5 crore for 2021-22, Rs 73 crore for 2022-23, and Rs 1.46 billion for 2023-24.
The PPT also reportedly contains estimated revenue for the venture Bollyfame Media Limited. The Bollyfame app was reportedly launched after the app HotShots was banned from Google PlayStore and Apple.
Mumbai Police have also claimed that Raj Kundra was planning to sell over 100 films to a foreign entity, and they suspect the money earned through Hotshots was used for online betting.
Meanwhile, the Bombay Esplanade Court rejected the bail pleas of Raj Kundra and Ryan Thorpe.
On Monday, a court had sent Kundra and one Ryan Thorpe to 14 days judicial custody. Raj Kundra's wife, actor Shilpa Shetty, hasn't been given clean chit yet and forensic auditors will look into all transactions in the case, a Mumbai Crime Branch official had told ANI.
Crime branch officials have also claimed that Kundra deleted all data and even changed his phone after the pornography racket was busted earlier this year.
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