[Porn film case] “Not a fit case:" Mumbai court rejects anticipatory bail plea of Gehana Vasisth

Mumbai Sessions Court has refused anticipatory bail to actress Gehana Vasisth in the porn film racket case which also involves businessman Raj Kundra as accused. (Gehana Vashist v. State of Maharashtra).The Crime Branch of Mumbai Police had booked Vasisth on July 27 under Sections 354C (outraging modesty of woman), 292, 293 (sale of obscene material) under the Indian Penal Code, Sections 66E, 67, 67A (transmission of sexually explicit material) under the Information Technology Act and provisions of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.The case was filed after they received a complaint stating that Vasisth who was director of porn films, threatened, coerced and lured women with money to act in “obscene film videos”..Vasisth approached the Sessions Court seeking pre-arrest bail and protection from arrest during the pendency of the application. Additional Sessions Judge Sonali Agarwal rejected her anticipatory bail application terming it “not a fit case for relief”. .Advocate Sunil Kumar appearing for Vasisth submitted Mumbai Police had registered a fresh case against her in the porn film racket case because she supported co-accused Raj Kundra and also exposed the Mumbai police who demanded money from her in return for not arresting her..Kumar contended that the complaint lodged was based on the premise that the complainant was a victim however, he stated that the complainant had never been forced by Vasisth to act in films.He added that the complainant had filed the complaint after a year while having a valid agreement with the Kundra’s company..In conclusion, Kumar argued that Vasisth had already undergone 4 months of judicial custody during which the police could have investigated against her or interrogated her.He added that being a permanent citizen of Mumbai, Vasisth will co-operate with the investigation and comply with the conditions imposed on her..Opposing the application, the Mumbai Police argued that in the event Vasisth is released at this stage of investigation, then she will try to threaten other witnesses or lure them with money and destroy any form of evidence which could compromise the investigation..They claimed that under the garb of giving money, Vasisth lured many newcomers in the industry to act in obscene videos to be published on Hotshot app owned by Raj Kundra, a co-accused in the porn film cases..They contended that since the details of this case have been covered extensively in media, more such victims may approach the police with their complaints which the police will have to investigate..Since Vasisth garnered huge profits doing what she did, there is a reasonable apprehension that there are more persons involved who conspired with Vasisth in the acts, who also need to be investigated into..The 21-year-old complainant in the case was from another State who lived in the fear that Vasisth may harm her out of revenge for having filed this complaint..The police also expressed apprehension that Vasisth may try to contact other wanted accused in the case and all of them may abscond.