Read further to know why filmmaker Shakeel Noorani, 73, has been arrested after a 33-year-old actress accused him of rape, repeated sexual assault and allegedly threatening her with a purported video.

Police arrested filmmaker Shakeel Noorani, 73, early on August 8 after a 33-year-old actress accused him of rape and sexual assault. Noorani, known for movies like Bade Dil Wala and Joru Ka Ghulam, now faces a police investigation after the actress brought forward serious charges. The actress told police that Noorani assaulted her multiple times and threatened her with a video he claimed to have. Officers registered a case against him under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Actress makes serious allegations

She said she first met Noorani at an awards show in Lokhandwala back in 2016. He talked to her about possible work and told her to keep in touch. Years later, she went to his home in Malvani to discuss a script. According to her statement, he offered her a drink, and after that, she blacked out. When she came to, she discovered he had a video on his phone. He allegedly used it to threaten her, warning that he’d share it with her family or the police if she spoke up.

Shakeel Noorani remanded to police custody

The actress added that Noorani assaulted her repeatedly and kept giving her contraceptive pills after the alleged incidents. Police are now digging into these claims, focusing on the video and trying to piece together what happened. They want to know if similar acts happened elsewhere.

Shakeel Noorani's lawyer denies allegations

Noorani’s lawyer, Vikas Singh Goar, says his client is innocent and is being framed. He told Mid-Day that the case is still under investigation and nothing has been proven in court, Noorani is still presumed innocent. After his arrest, police took Noorani to the Borivali Holiday Court and asked for custody so they could check out the video, investigate further, and see if there are other possible victims. The judge sent Noorani to police custody until August 12.

The investigation’s ongoing. More details will probably surface as police dig into the evidence and the actress’s allegations.