Raj Kundra pornography case: Court denies pre-arrest bail to Sherlyn Chopra

Mumbai: A court in Mumbai on Thursday rejected the pre-arrest bail application filed by actress Sherlyn Chopra in a case related to the alleged creation of pornographic films and publishing them through some apps.

Businessman Raj Kundra, the husband of Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty, was recently arrested by the city police's crime branch in connection with the case.

Chopra had moved the anticipatory bail application before the court earlier this week through her lawyer Siddhesh Borker.

The Mumbai crime branch had started an investigation into the case after some victims approached the Malwani police station in February 2021.

In her plea, Sherlyn Chopra said that she was apprehending arrest in the case registered under IPC sections 292, 293 (sale of obscene material), as well as relevant provisions the Information Technology Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.

In the plea, Chopra claimed that she was not aware of the contents of the FIR as she was neither given a copy of it nor was she informed of the specific allegations levelled against her. However, she apprehends arrest in the case since the co-accused have been held, the plea said.

It added that Chopra might be implicated in the case, which contains certain non-bailable offences-without knowledge of true and correct facts.

Her lawyer submitted that the applicant is innocent and great prejudice will be caused to her if she is arrested on per se "false and frivolous" charges.

However, additional sessions judge Sonali Agarwal rejected the plea.

Police have said that at least 11 persons have been arrested so far in the case. Kundra and his associate Ryan Thorpe are two of the accused in the case. They are currently in judicial custody.