Shakeel Noorani reportedly arrested over rape complaint filed by actress

Filmmaker Shakeel Noorani, 73, best known for directing films such as Bade Dil Wala and Joru Ka Ghulam, was taken into custody by Malvani Police in the early hours of August 8 following a complaint of rape and sexual assault filed by a 33-year-old actress.

Shakeel Noorani in custody after actress’ rape and assault complaint

According to police, Shakeel was tracked to a farmhouse in Medha, Satara district, before being brought back to Mumbai for questioning. He has since been booked under Sections 64(2)(M), 123, 351(2) and 88 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Per the actress's statement to police, she and Shakeel first crossed paths at an awards function in Lokhandwala back in 2016, where he reportedly discussed a potential project with her and told her to stay in touch about work opportunities.

Her complaint states that she later went to his residence in Malvani for what she believed was a script reading. It was there, she alleges, that Shakeel gave her a drink that left her unconscious. She says that upon waking, he showed her a video recorded on his phone and warned that he would release it if she went to the police or told her family. Her FIR further alleges that he used the video as leverage to assault her on repeated occasions afterward, and that he would give her contraceptive pills following each encounter.

Shakeel was produced before the Borivali Holiday Court, where investigators sought custody to gather further evidence. The court has remanded him to police custody through August 12, giving investigators time to pursue the case further.

The director’s lawyer, Advocate Vikas Singh Goar, pushed back on the allegations, telling reporters that his client has been wrongly implicated and that the claims remain unproven in court. He emphasised that Shakeel, like anyone accused, is entitled to the presumption of innocence while the investigation continues.

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