Karim Morani surrenders in rape case, plea rejected

Hyderabad: Bollywood producer Karim Morani surrendered before the Hayathnagar police on charges of repeatedly raping a 25-year-old aspiring actress.  

The victim was raped in Hyderabad and Delhi. It was alleged that Mr Morani had sedated the Delhi based woman and raped her several times. He took her nude photos between July 2015 and January 2016.

He surrendered after the court dismissed his bail plea. He had produced films like Chennai Express and Ra.One

“Morani was produced in the court and was sent to 14 days judicial remand till October 10. We sought his custody for seven days. However, the magistrate kept the decision pending. He was sent to the Cherlapally central jail,” said J. Narender Goud, inspector of the Hayathnagar police station.  

“He surrendered before police atmidnight. After completing the legal formalities, he was produced before the court today,” said M. Venkateswar Rao, DCP, LB Nagar.

On September 5, the Hyderabad High Court upheld a lower court’s order to cancel Mr Morani’s anticipatory bail as he concealed the fact that he had been facing criminal charges in the 2G scam and was in jail for several months.

The woman lodged a complaint with the Hayathnagar police in January this year.

Based on the complaint, the producer was booked under Sections 417 (punishment for cheating), 376 (rape), 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation), 493 (cohabitation caused by a man deceitfully inducing a belief of lawful marriage) and other relevant sections of the IPC.

The sessions court in Telangana had granted anticipatory bail to Mr Morani on January 30, but cancelled it later. 

The magistrate has kept him in police custody for five days from September 24 to 28 till 5 pm.