Statement of porn film racket victim recorded under CrPC 164

Mumbai: In a bid to make their case stronger, the crime branch on Tuesday recorded the statement of the first victim rescued in the porn movie racket under Code of Criminal Procedure’s Section 164 before the magistrate. Officials said this was done so that the complainant does not turn hostile as “influential people are involved in the racket”.
The crime branch’s property cell led by police inspectors Kedar Pawar, Dheeraj Kohli and Laxmikant Salunkhe had raided a Madh Island bungalow recently and caught five persons, including producer-director Yasmin Khan, while allegedly shooting a porn movie.
Sources said the property cell is also likely to take over investigation into two complaints registered with Malvani police. Two aspiring models had complained that the arrested accused had forced them to act in porn films after promising them roles in web series.
Police said they have written to various banks for two years’ statements of arrested model Gehana Vasisth alias Vandana Tiwari, Kenrin official Umesh Kamat, Yasmin Khan and her husband Dipankar alias Shyam Bannerji and Surat-based director Tanvir Hashmi, allegedly the major beneficiaries in the scam. Police have frozen Rs 36 lakh in Khan’s bank accounts.
“The accused have received huge sums through subscriptions on mobile apps and there is also flow of money from UK-based company Kenrin as several porn movies shot by Vasisth and other accused have been uploaded on apps. Prima facie, one Arvindkumar has deposited money into Vasisth’s account,’’ said an officer. Police are also looking for one Yash Thakur who allegedly uploaded movies on various apps.
Meanwhile, one aspiring model and actor has lodged a fresh complaint of rape, unnatural sex, cheating, assault and threats against Khan and Bannerji with Lonavala police.