Cinema VinesIn a dramatic turn of events, Mumbai police have taken Bollywood director Shakeel Noorani into custody after a 33‑year‑old aspiring actress filed a complaint alleging rape, threats, and poisoning. The accusation, lodged 40 days ago, claims that Noorani, 73, sexually assaulted the woman over four years, spiked her drink, and threatened to release an intimate video unless she stayed silent.
According to police, the actress said Noorani invited her to his farmhouse in Mahabaleshwar’s Malvani area to discuss a film script. During the visit, she alleges he spiked her beverage, assaulted her, and later showed her a private video on his phone. She also claims he threatened to circulate the footage if she approached law enforcement or her family. The woman further alleges that Noorani gave her contraceptive pills after the assault and poisoned her, resulting in a miscarriage.
After the complaint was registered, Noorani vanished. Police searched his son’s residence in Lokhandwala, Mumbai’s Andheri district, but failed to locate him. He was finally apprehended at his Mahabaleshwar farmhouse, based on technical intelligence, and transported back to Mumbai on Saturday.
He has been charged under sections 64, 123, 88, and 351 of the Indian Penal Code. Following his arrest, Noorani was presented before a local court, which has remanded him in police custody until August 12. The case highlights growing scrutiny over alleged abuses of power within the film industry.
