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Actor and self-proclaimed film critic Kamal R Khan, 52, who was in judicial custody for alleged derogatory tweets on Akshay Kumar’s movie Laxmii, was taken into custody by the Versova police Saturday for allegedly molesting an actress in 2019 by promising her the lead role in a Hindi movie.
The 27-year-old complainant told the police that she came to Mumbai in 2017 and that she is an actor, singer and fitness model. She said she met Khan, known as KRK, in 2017 during a house party during which he introduced himself as a producer after which they chatted and exchanged phone numbers.
According to her complaint, the same year KRK said he would give her a lead role in a movie called Captain Nawab starring Emran Hashmi and passed sexually explicit comments over the phone.
She alleged that in January 2019, KRK invited her to his bungalow in Four Bungalows for his birthday. Though she did not go that day, she went to his bungalow another day the same week around 7 pm, she said. As it was too hot, he took her to a room on the first floor, she added.
The woman said KRK offered her vodka which she denied. He then offered her orange juice and she agreed to have it. She alleged he spiked the orange juice and she felt dizzy. Khan then tried to have sex with her and flashed at her, she said. The complainant said she got scared and left the place. She then called up her friend who said KRK has a big clout in the industry and complaining about it could affect her career, she said.
The woman said that in mid-2021, she narrated her ordeal to another friend who advised her to approach the police. She then approached the Versova police station and a first information report (FIR) was registered against Khan under Indian Penal Code sections 354 A (sexual harassment) and 509 (word, act or gesture intended to insult woman’s modesty).
On Saturday, the Versova police took KRK’s custody from jail. He was produced before a magistrate court in Bandra Sunday and the Versova police tried to seek his custody. Khan’s lawyer argued before court that the complainant had made false allegations and approached the police 18 months after the incident. As the sections were bailable, the magistrate denied police custody and remanded Khan to judicial custody.
To which, the Versova police said they tried to trace Khan but could not find him. After Khan left India for Dubai in March 2020, a lookout circular (LOC) was issued against him by the Malad police in an FIR registered by them in 2020 for posting derogatory tweets on the Akshay Kumar movie.
He was detained at the CSMI Airport last Monday when he returned from Dubai. A day later, he was placed under arrest and sent to judicial custody by a magistrate court.
Khan’s bail plea in the derogatory tweets case will be heard on Monday (September 5) by a magistrate court.
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