'Chennai Express' producer booked for rape

The producer of Bollywood blockbuster "Chennai Express", Karim Morani, has been booked for allegedly raping a Delhi-based woman on promise of marriage, police said on Wednesday.

The complainant, aged around 25, alleged that Morani raped her in Mumbai and also at a film studio in Hyderabad in 2015 after promising to marry her.

The woman last week lodged a complaint with Hayathnagar police under Rachakonda police commissionerate near Hyderabad.

A police officer said a case under sections 417 (cheating), 376 (rape) 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation), 493 (cohabitation caused by a man deceitfully inducing a belief of lawful marriage) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the producer.

The woman told police that she was looking for a break in films and had met Morani in 2015. She alleged that the producer after raping her had threatened with dire consequences if she revealed it to anyone.

The producer, however, denied the allegations.

"The complaint is absolutely false and bogus and filed with the sole intention of tarnishing Morani's reputation and image. Morani will be taking appropriate steps in accordance with law to demonstrate that complaint is mala fide," Karim's spokesperson said.

"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," added the spokesperson.

The producer's name had also figured as an accused in the 2G spectrum scam. He was accused of helping channel funds to the tune of RS 200 crore to popular Tamil television channel Kalaignar TV.

--IANS

ms/lok/nir