Raj Kundra, aide Ryan Tharp taken to Mumbai’s Esplanade Court

Actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband and businessman Raj Kundra and one of his aides Ryan Tharp were taken to Mumbai’s Esplanade Court on Tuesday, reports ANI. Kundra was arrested on Monday night while Tharp was arrested today in connection with a case relating to the production of pornographic films.

The police on Monday said he appears to be the “key conspirator” in the case. In February 2021, a case was registered with the Mumbai Crime Branch regarding creation of pornographic films and publishing them through some apps, a senior police official had said. According to PTI, an FIR was registered against Kundra after a woman approached the police and made certain allegations in her complaint, another official said.

Kundra has been 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, he said.

Mumbai police commissioner Hemant Nagrale issued a statement on Monday on Kundra’s arrest which read: “There was a case registered with Crime Branch Mumbai in February 2021 about the creation of pornographic films and publishing them through some Apps. We’ve arrested Mr Raj Kundra in this case on 19/7/21 as he appears to be the key conspirator of this.”

The Mumbai Police had arrested nine people in the case, including model-actor Gehana Vasisth and a man called Umesh Kamat, who is a former employee of Raj Kundra.

In February this year, actor Sagarika Shona had alleged that a famous businessman and the husband of a well-known actor was running a porn racket along with his aides. A case was registered on February 4 at the Malwani police station in suburban Mumbai.