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Raj Kundra was to sell 119 porn films for USD1.2 million: Mumbai Police
Actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra was about to sell 119 pornographic videos to a person for USD 1
Actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra was about to sell 119 pornographic videos to a person for USD 1.2 million and created new mobile application named Bollyfame in January this year after his previous app, Hotshots, was dropped from app stores, the Mumbai Police has claimed on Friday while seeking further custody of Kundra. A metropolitan magistrate court accordingly extended police custody of Kundra and IT support provider Ryan Thorpe till July 27.
Kundra and Thorpe were produced before a magistrate court on Friday afternoon, as their custody remand had ended. The property cell of Mumbai Police’s crime branch sought further custody, claiming that they have found WhatsApp messages in which Kundra discussed selling his stock of 119 porn films to a person for USD 1.2 million.
Claiming that the two accused had destroyed evidence, the police have added section 201 of the Indian Penal Code for destruction of evidence against them.
The prosecution said after Kundra’s arrest, police had seized his mobile phone wherein they found several chats with Pradeep Bakshi, owner of Kenrin Pvt Ltd. Police found a list of 119 movies which were to be sold to a person for 1.2 million US dollars. During one of his conversations with a man, Kundra had said he was a partner in Kenrin Pvt Ltd.
Police further claimed that Kundra received huge sums in his YES Bank account from Mercury International, an entity engaged in online sports betting and casino gaming. The money came from the betting company’s account held with the United Bank of Africa, but police are yet to ascertain if these transfers were Hotshots earnings or money won by Kundra in betting and/or casino gaming.
During analysis, the agency came across a WhatsApp group on which Kundra and Thorpe discussed deleting all information related to content of Hotshots, its email, portal, etc. It is suspected that the data was related to the app and was destroyed by Bakshi on July 21, soon after Kundra and Thorpe’s arrest.
Police recorded statements of several staff members who worked with Kundra. They claimed that in February after the Mumbai Police registered a case in the matter, Thorpe had told them to remove all data related to Hotshots.
The Mumbai Police further claimed that Thorpe created the new app, Bollyfame, in January this year, on the instruction of Kundra.
The prosecution also said that they are also investigating Kundra’s accounts. The police found huge inflow of money in the accounts of accused from international accounts in dollars and pounds which are being analysed. The agency claimed much of the money is from a bank account of African company named Mercury International. Police suspect the money earned through Hotshots was laundered through this African company or he was involved in online batting racket.
Police is now in the process of identifying and contacting the women seen in the videos.
Cops record Shilpa Shetty’s statement
Mumbai Police’s crime branch on Friday recorded statement of actor Shilpa Shetty in connection with the alleged porn racket involving her husband Raj Kundra. A crime branch team on Friday took Kundra to his Juhu residence where they recorded Shetty’s statement, said a senior crime branch officer. During the search police seized a laptop from the house.
Police said the actor was the former director of Viaan Industries, from the premises of which the racket was being handled by arrested accused Umesh Kamat, a close associate of Kundra.