Bollywood producer accused of rape, says it's 'bogus'

January 19, 2017

Hyderabad/Mumbai, Jan 19: Bollywood producer Karim Morani has been booked by Hyderabad police on charges of raping a 24-year-old theatre artiste from Mumbai and offering her a false promise of marriage.

karimMorani, of Cineyug Films, who has co-produced 11 Hindi films including Dilwale, Happy New Year, Chennai Express and Ra.One, has been charged under Sections 376 (rape), 342 (wrongful restraint), 417 (cheating), 506 (criminal intimidation), 493 (co-habitation caused by a man deceitfully indu cing a belief of lawful marriage) and 354-C (voyeurism) of the Indian Penal Code.

A spokesperson for Morani issued a statement late Wednesday evening saying, "The complaint is absolutely false and bogus with the sole intention of tarnishing Mr Morani's reputation and image. Mr Morani will be taking appropriate steps in accordance with law to demonstrate that [the] complaint is malafide. He is truthful and innocent and has full faith in the judiciary and is ready and willing to co-operate with the authorities to the fullest extent."

The complainant, who is a friend of Morani's 28-year-old actress daughter Zoa (both worked together in Mumbai theatre), approached Hayathnagar police of the Rachakonda commissionerate alleging that he had raped her several times, including twice at a prominent film studio in the city, between September and October 2015. She also alleged that she had been sexually assaulted many times in Mumbai. Police said that in her complaint, the woman alleged that Morani had recorded her nude videos and also photographs on his cell phone during intimate sessions and he later blackmailed her by threatening to share them with friends.

She alleged that she was forced to keep quiet for so long because Morani had "threatened to reveal their relationship."

She also told the cops that she chose to lodge her complaint in Hyderabad as Morani "could use his influence to sabotage investigations" in Mumbai.

L B Nagar deputy commissioner of police Tafseer Iqbal told TOI, "According to the complainant, the offence took place more than a year ago. We are now trying to gather evidence." Police have not yet questioned Morani, and Iqbal said the police probe would be based on evidence they are able to gather in the coming weeks.

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News Network
April 21,2020

Mumbai, Apr 21: While the whole country continues to struggle against the COVID-19 crisis, filmmaker Rohit Shetty's name has been added to the list of renowned personalities who have come forward to give the frontline workers a boost to help them in their battle against the deadly infection.

Rohit Shetty has facilitated eight hotels across the city for the on-duty corona warriors to rest, shower and change with arrangements for breakfast and dinner. The Mumbai Police thanked Shetty for this kind gesture in keeping Mumbai safe and tweeted," #RohitShetty has facilitated eight hotels across the city for our on-duty #CovidWarriors to rest, shower & change with arrangements for breakfast & dinner. We thank him for this kind gesture and for helping us in #TakingOnCorona and keeping Mumbai safe."

Meanwhile, scores of celebrities have stepped forward in the fight against coronavirus by supporting different initiatives to help the ones going through the difficult situation due to coronavirus outbreak.

India's count of positive coronavirus cases reached 18,985 after 1,329 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Tuesday.
Out of the total cases, 15,122 are active cases, 3,259 have been cured and discharged and one has migrated. With 44 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the toll stands at 603.

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Agencies
January 5,2020

Los Angeles: Kevin Feige may have confirmed that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) will be getting its first transgender superhero but the Marvel Studios has said there is no definite timeline for that.

During a Q&A at the New York Film Academy, a fan had asked Feige about whether the studio plans to introduce LGBTQ characters into the MCU, "specifically the trans characters".

To this, the Marvel Studios president had replied, "Yes, absolutely, yes... And very soon. In a movie that we're shooting right now."

But sources in the company clarified to Variety that Feige only confirmed the first part of the comments that a trans character will appear in the MCU in future but he did not give a time period.

Though Feige did not reveal the name of the project that will introduce a LGBTQ character, fans speculate that he may have been referring to "The Eternals".

The film, which will feature an ensemble cast of Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kit Harington and others, is set to unveil a gay superhero in the MCU.

Marvel Studios has been making efforts to incorporate more diversity in its films after the success of "Black Panther", which featured a virtually all-black cast, and its first woman-fronted superhero movie "Captain Marvel".

"Avengers: Endgame", which became the highest grossing movie of all-time, had featured the MCU's first gay character, a cameo by director Joe Russo.

In 2020, the studio has two releases -- Scarlett Johansson-starrer "Black Widow" and "The Eternals" -- which have been helmed by women directors.

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News Network
May 28,2020

Agartala, May 28: Tripura Police has registered a complaint against Bangladeshi singer Mainul Ahsan Nobel, who earned fame in the music reality show 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' in Kolkata, for allegedly humiliating Prime Minister Narendra Modi over social media.

The complaint was filed by a resident of Belonia town in South Tripura district who is a student of Pandit Deen Dayal Petroleum University at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.

The complaint was filed on May 25, the person who is called Suman Paul said.

Nobel is not yet a popular singer in Bangladesh and has always been rejected by the audience of that country. He participated in the TV music reality show called Sa Re Ga Ma Pa in Kolkata, earned money, gained fame and returned to Bangladesh. If the person insults our prime minister it cannot be accepted. So I filed the FIR, Paul told reporters.

Belonia superintendent of police Jal Singh Meena confirmed that the complaint was registered and forwarded to Tripura Polices cyber crime cell.

The complaint was registered the same day it was filed at Belonia police station under Indian Penal code sections 500 (punishment for defamation), 504 (intentional insult), 505 (public mischief) and the IT Act.

We have registered the complaint and forwarded it to the cybercrime cell because it is not in the Indian cyberspace. We have started an investigation into the issue, the SP said.

Rajib Dutta, the officer-in-charge of Belonia police station said that as per the complaint the Bangladeshi singer had abused Modi in a Facebook post calling him a "mere chaiwala (tea seller)'.

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