Here Are The Charges Against Raj Kundra In Pornographic Film Production Case

Charges Against Raj Kundra: Businessman who is married to actor Shilpa Shetty was sent to police custody and is to remain there till July 23. He was arrested for being allegedly involved in producing pornographic films in India.

On Tuesday, Mumbai police revealed the details from a Whatsapp group named " H Accounts" which was allegedly created by Raj Kundra. The group members are Pradeep Bakshi, the director of UK-based Kenrin Production House (allegedly involved in funding pornographic films in India), Rob Digital Marketing Hotshots (a mobile application which released the 'obscene' films) Meghaa Viaan 'accounts' and content head of Hotshots app.

As per the police statement, Raj Kundra is the 'key conspirator' in the case as he was the business partner and investor in the Kenrin Production House. He is accused of forming a company to develop ‘Hotshots’ helping in managing it by supervising its payments and other functioning, forming another company to protect the mobile app content from piracy and have receiving suspiciously large amount global transfers in bank accounts.

Here are some of the charges against Raj Kundra:

The Indecent Representation of Women Act:

Any person who is involved in the indecent representation of women in any form can be subjected to legal punishment.

Section 67 of IT Act:

Kundra is accused of being involved in publishing obscene material in electronic form (mobile application). As per this section of the IT Act, if someone "publishes or transmits or causes to be published or transmitted in the electronic form, any material which is lascivious or appeals to the prurient interest or if its effect is such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it".

Section 420 of Indian Penal Code:

Any person who cheats or dishonestly delivers to a person. Raj Kundra is accused of deceiving models and small-time actors by offering them a role in web series and in turn casting them in pornographic films, as per reports.

Section 34 of Indian Penale Code:

For having the common intention as that of a group. The person is liable for legal punishment as if he/she alone did the unlawful deed.

Section 292 Of Indian Penal Code:

This section of the IPC makes it illegal for individuals and organisations to sell, distribute, circulate or put up a public exhibition of any obscene drawing, painting, book, movies and others. As per the law, any material is obscene if it is "lascivious or appeals to the pruri­ent interest or if its effect…such as to tend to deprave and corrupt a person”

Section 293 of Indian Penal Code:

This section of the law deals with the age of the consumers of the above mentioned 'obscene' material. "Whoever sells, lets to hire, distributes, exhibits or circulates to any person under the age of twenty years any such obscene object as is referred to in the last preceding section, or offers or at­tempts so to do, shall be punished".