09 May,2019 04:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Karan Oberoi. Pic/Instagram
Television actor and singer Karan Oberoi, arrested on charges of raping and blackmailing a woman, has been sent to 14 days judicial custody by a Magistrate Court in Mumbai. Television actor and singer Karan Oberoi was arrested by Mumbai Police on May 6 for the alleged rape and blackmail of a 34-year-old victim, who is also an astrologer in 2017. The woman said that she had met the accused through a dating app in 2016.
A complaint was lodged with the Oshiwara Police late and charges under the Indian Penal Code Sections 376 (rape) and 384 (extortion) were slapped against him. As per the First Information Report lodged by the victim, the accused raped her on the promise of marriage, filmed the act and tried to extort money from her under the threat of making the video public. The woman in her complaint said that in 2017, Oberoi offered her spiked coconut water and then sexually assaulted her. The woman added that Karan Oberoi allegedly extorted a lot of valuables and expensive gadgets from the victim, demanded cash from her and again raped her after promising marriage.
Karan Oberoi was remanded to police custody till Wednesday and was produced before the court on Thursday afternoon. Karan Oberoi's lawyer Dinesh Tiwari said that he would apply for bail for him on Friday.
Despite charges, Karan Oberoi has been getting supported from his friends from the industry. One of Oberoi's best friends Pooja Bedi along with the band members of his music band 'Band Of Boys' said that the law that is exciting to protect the voice of rape victim, should be used in a responsible manner by the women.
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At a press meet, Pooja Bedi said, "Taking the history of our country in consideration and the patriarchal society that we are living in, there is a situation where a rape victim goes to the police station and her complaint does not get registered, which is wrong. So we need laws against rape and such violence; but at the same time, if a severe number of women are misusing the law if they are not respecting the law that are meant to protect them rather taking advantage of it, we need to think about how to protect the right of a man as well!"
Singer-actor Sudhanshu Pandey also supported Oberoi and said that he doesn't believe allegation against his former A Band of Boys member Karan Oberoi. Sudhanshu said, "I have known Karan Oberoi for almost two decades now. We were together in a band, but before that, we are working together as actors. We're not just friends but we were neighbours at one point of time as well."
A complaint was lodged with the Mumbai Police on Sunday and charges under the Indian Penal Code sections 376 (rape) and 384 (extortion) were slapped against Karan. He was produced before a magistrate's court which has remanded him to police custody till Thursday.
Karan Oberoi has been a model, singer, and actor since over 25 years now and has acted in several television serials including 'Swabhimaan', 'Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin' and 'Saaya'.
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