Cinema VinesIn a dramatic turn of events, Mumbai police arrested 73‑year‑old filmmaker Shakeel Noorani on Monday after a 33‑year‑old aspiring actress filed a complaint alleging rape, intimidation and poisoning. The arrest took place at Noorani’s farmhouse in Mahabaleshwar, more than 200 kilometres from Mumbai, following a week‑long search that began after the police received a First Information Report (FIR) against the veteran director.
According to the complaint, the woman claims she was sexually assaulted by Noorani over a four‑year period. She says that during a visit to his Malvani residence to discuss a script for an upcoming film, Noorani spiked her drink, sexually assaulted her and then showed her an intimate video taken on his phone. The victim alleges that Noorani threatened to release the video if she approached the police or informed her family. She further contends that he used the video to coerce and sexually assault her on multiple occasions.
In addition to the sexual assault allegations, the woman accuses Noorani of poisoning her, which she says caused a miscarriage. She also alleges that he gave her contraceptive pills after one of the assaults and later poisoned her again. The complaint was filed approximately 40 days ago, and after the case was registered, Noorani allegedly went into hiding.
Police initially searched Noorani’s son’s residence in Lokhandwala, Andheri, but were unable to locate him. Technical inputs led investigators to his farmhouse in Mahabaleshwar, where he was apprehended and brought back to Mumbai on Saturday. He was booked under Sections 64(2)(m) (rape), 123 (causing hurt by means of poison), 88 (causing miscarriage) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Noorani was produced before a local court and remanded to police custody until August 12.
