Several personalities from showbiz this year found themselves embroiled in criminal activities, one way or the other
They say karma eventually catches up with you. Well, law is quicker in this particular race, especially if the parties in question are famous. What happens later with the system -- influence on the defendants’ part as usual -- remains debatable but as a starter, it’s encouraging to see even the celebrities go through the regular grind when caught on the undesired side of law. For instance, actor Rajpal Yadav was recently sent straightway to jail for fraud. However, it’s also worth noting that celebs aren’t always wrong. Sometimes they are wronged as well.
HitList points out instances from both ends of the spectrum that happened in 2013…
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Underworld calling
Boney Kapoor, Sonu Nigam, Akshay Kumar and Karan Johar
Crime scenario: Just when we were made to believe that Mumbai’s underworld has bid goodbye to Bollywood, some B-Town folks started receiving calls and SMSes -- filled with extortion and death threats, of course -- from the mafia. Producer Boney Kapoor and singer Sonu Nigam were the earliest to register a complaint. Later, Akshay Kumar and Karan Johar too pointed out that they were being harassed by organised crime syndicates in the city.
Sanjay Dutt jailed
Crime scenario: In March, the Supreme Court upheld Dutt's five-year sentence -- 18 months of which he had already spent in jail during thje trial -- for possessing illegal arms during the 1993 bomb blasts. He was granted four weeks to surrender to the authorities. So much so, in mid-May, Dutt withdrew his long-pending mercy plea and finally surrendered to the Mumbai Police. Presently serving his sentence, he was allowed to leave on an extended parole in October on medical grounds.
Shruti Haasan’s stalker
Crime scenario: Last month, the Bandra police arrested Ashok Shankar Trimukhe accused of stalking Shruti Haasan. He was booked under Indian Penal Code sections 452 (house trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354D (stalking). He reportedly tried to force his way in and touched her shoulder when Shruti answered the door bell of her Bandra flat. She later filed an FIR.
Om Puri’s 'domestic abuse'
Crime scenario: The critically acclaimed actor was booked under Section 324 (punishment for causing hurt by dangerous means), Section 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, for allegedly assaulting his wife Nandita at his apartment in Andheri. She complained that he assaulted her with a wooden stick. He was initially declared absconding but later filed an anticipatory bail.
Sana Khan kidnap case
Crime scenario: The Bombay High Court refused to a quash a police case against the actress for her alleged involvement in the kidnapping of a minor girl -- with whom her nephew was romantically involved in. As per the evidence shown at the court, Sana’s car was used in the crime. The actress, who rose to fame thanks to Bigg Boss, was earlier granted anticipatory bail in June. Regardless, she will be starring opposite Salman Khan in the upcoming film Jai Ho
The Jiah Khan case
Crime scenario: This murder/suicide episode still remains a mystery, with new twists adding to the intrigue every passing month. When the young actress was found dead in her apartment and a suicide note found few days later, an abortion and the resulting depression were considered to be the trigger. As a result, Sooraj Pancholi, who was allegedly in a live-in relationship with Jiah, was taken into custody. However, he was later granted bail.
Vindu Dara Singh arrested
Crime scenario: Mumbai police nabbed Vindu Dara Singh for suspected links with those involved in the alleged spot-fixing during Indian Premier League. According to the police, the actor had links to bookies who were arrested in the crackdown. With Vindu’s arrest, the cricket-underworld-Bollywood trio’s culpability in betting took formidable shape.
Akshaye Khanna cheated
Crime scenario: All those wondering where has this ‘serious’ actor disappeared all of a sudden were greeted with unpleasant news in October. Turns out Akshaye was reportedly duped of Rs 50 lakh after being promised quick and huge returns from investments in the commodity market. The crime branch of Mumbai police got into action and investigated the complaint filed by him at the Malabar police station.
Samir Karnik tax evasion
Crime scenario: Bollywood producer and director was arrested by Service Tax Department for alleged tax evasion of Rs 1.18 crore and was later released on bail by a court. The anti-evasion team found that Karnik had provided copyright services for R11.50 crore to a film distribution company in respect of Yamla Pagla Deewana. Sunny Deol too was accused in the case but he was not arrested as he paid R86 lakh out of the R1.95 crore tax demand against his firm.
Santoshi-Nadiadwala fallout
Crime scenario: Not only actors, even producers have their share of tiffs over films and the commerce behind them. In August, Sajid Nadiadwala reportedly barged into Rajkumar Santoshi’s home, threatening him and thus creating a scene. Due to which, Santoshi ended up filing an FIR against him. That was then. The latest development in their three-year-long dispute is that they have finally made peace with each other.
Leela Maria Paul’s arrest
Crime scenario: This Southern actress who made her Bollywood debut with John Abraham’s Madras Cafe, was arrested for illegal possession of arms, fraud and conspiracy. After her arrest in May, she was granted conditional bail in July. At the time of her arrest, the Kerala-born starlet, along with her partner-in-crime boyfriend Sukash Chandrasekhar, had nine luxury cars worth Rs 20 crore in their possession.
Hear hear!
Some cases against actors that are or were pending...
>> A 2008 assault case against Govinda was ultimately squashed last month. The actor had slapped a fan of his for getting too close; following which, the fan filed a complaint. However, the court ruled in the actor’s favour.
>> The sessions court in Mumbai will decide today whether there should be a fresh trial with fresh evidence in the 2002 case against actor Salman Khan after graver charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was added.
>> Sonali Bendre and Tabu were produced on Monday before a court in Jodhpur by the defence for their identification by a witness in the black buck poaching case of 1998. Interestingly, the eyewitness turned hostile by refusing to identify.
>> In September, the Bombay High Court said the complaint filed by a social activist against Shah rukh khan and his wife Gauri -- accusing the couple of conducting sex determination of their surrogate child -- was unfounded.u00a0
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