Mumbai Police arrested 73-year-old filmmaker Shakeel Noorani from his Mahabaleshwar farmhouse on Saturday.
A 33-year-old aspiring actor accused Noorani of repeatedly raping and blackmailing her over a period of four years.
Noorani, who went into hiding after the FIR, has been remanded to police custody until August 12.
Mumbai Police arrested filmmaker Shakeel Noorani. The 73-year-old director faces rape and intimidation charges after an aspiring actor, 33, filed a complaint, officials informed on Monday. A local court remanded Noorani in custody until August 12. He previously directed Joru Ka Ghulam and Bade Dilwala.
Why was Shakeel Noorani arrested?
The victim lodged her complaint 40 days prior to the arrest. She alleged that Noorani sexually assaulted her repeatedly over four years. According to the complaint, the filmmaker called her to his Malvani residence under the pretext of discussing a script for an upcoming project. He allegedly spiked her drink during the meeting and assaulted her, reported PTI.
She woke up later. Noorani then showed her an intimate video recorded on his phone, threatening to leak it to her family or the police. He used this footage to assault her repeatedly, a police officer said.
The filmmaker also forced her to take contraceptive pills. He later poisoned her, which resulted in a miscarriage, the officer added.
Police investigation
Noorani fled after the First Information Report (FIR). Investigators searched his son's home in Lokhandwala, Andheri, but failed to find him.
Police eventually traced the accused to his farmhouse in the Mahabaleshwar hill station, located more than 200 km from Mumbai. Officers apprehended him based on technical inputs and brought him to the city on Saturday. Authorities have booked Noorani under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 64, 123, 88 and 351, officials informed.
Police said Noorani underwent a medical examination at the Rural Hospital in Medha before being taken to Mumbai.
Noorani’s lawyer denies allegations
Advocate Vikas Singh Goar, Noorani's lawyer, denied the allegations and said his client had been wrongly implicated. "The allegations made by the actress are yet to be established before a court, and the investigation is underway. Noorani is presumed innocent unless proven guilty," he said.
