Mumbai: A Mumbai magistrate court on Wednesday (July 28) refused to grant bail to Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra and Ryan Thorpe, who have been arrested in a case linked to alleged production and circulation of pornography material on mobile apps. The 45-year-old businessman will continue to remain in judicial custody till August 10 after the court declined his bail application.
Raj Kundra had filed a separate petition in the Bombay High Court to challenge his arrest in the alleged pornography case, contending it as ‘illegal’.
Senior advocate Abad Ponda, who represented Kundra, told the court that a chargesheet has been filed in the porn case. Invoking grounds of parity, Ponda said that other accused have received bail.
Full Report: Raj Kundra’s Bail Plea Rejected In Pornography Case
Kundra’s lawyer contended that other accused have been booked under more serious charges when compared to the businessman, who can face a jail term for a period of seven years.
The public prosecutor opposed Kundra’s bail plea, stating that a second FIR has been registered in the said case. He added that the financial audit of Raj Kundra’s companies was not completed and several other victims are sharing their stories.
The public prosecutor also mentioned that Ryan Thorpe is an IT expert and he can 'destroy' electronic evidence if granted bail. Ponda asked the court whether 'Kundra is a terrorist' and argues that he has a family and home in Mumbai and would be available for investigation. He contended that if an offence doesn't attract life term imprisonment or death penalty, then bail is granted in such cases.
Police Seizes Raj Kundra’s Passport
The prosecution claimed the possibility of tampering with the evidence in the case while Ponda said that this applies to the other accused, who have been released on bail. Kundra’s lawyer told the court that the businessman cannot leave the country as the police officials have taken his passport.
According to Mumbai Police, a victim filed an FIR at Malvani police station on Tuesday (July 28). The public prosecution said that Kundra could influence the witnesses in the case by using ‘muscle power’.
After hearing both the parties, the court declined Kundra’s bail plea.
Shilpa Shetty's Statement In Porn Case
Last week, the Crime Branch Cell of Mumbai Police questioned Shilpa Shetty as part of their probe into the matter. A team of Crime Branch recorded her statement at her house in Juhu after interrogating her for over six years. She reportedly broke down into tears during the questioning.
Watch this space for more updates!
(With IANS Inputs)