Actor Shilpa Shetty reportedly told police that she was not aware of the exact content on ‘Hotshots’ mobile app, through which her husband, Raj Kundra, allegedly streamed pornographic content, news agency ANI, quoting Mumbai Police sources. Shilpa also claimed that her husband Kundra was innocent and that his brother-in-law, London-based Pradeep Bakshi, was involved with the app and its functioning.
Kundra was arrested on Monday night for his alleged involvement in the production and distribution of porn.
After Kundra’s arrest, police alleged that the accused persons “made profits in lakhs in this illegal business of making pornographic films and uploading the same via some mobile apps for which subscription fees is taken from viewers”.
“There was a case registered with the Crime Branch Mumbai in February 2021 about 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. We have sufficient evidences regarding this,” police commissioner Hemant Nagrale had said in a statement on late Monday night.
His lawyer, Aabad Ponda, however, argued in court that vulgar content could not be classified as porn.
“Police is following what web series are doing these days – vulgar content. But that’s not really classified as porn,” Ponda was quoted as saying by NDTV.
On Friday, he was sent to police custody till July 27. Mumbai Police produced him before Magistrate Court on Friday and said that they suspect the money earned from pornography was being used for online betting.
“This is why transactions between Raj Kundra’s Yes bank account and United Bank of Africa account need to be investigated,” police told the court, ANI reported.
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Kundra has been 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.
