Mumbai: TV soap editor held for raping woman on pretext of marriage

Photo for representational purpose

An editor of TV soaps was arrested by Versova police on Wednesday for raping a 29-year-old woman on the pretext of marriage.

The accused, identified as Hemant Kumar, 54, also has a case against him in Delhi for raping a woman after promising to marry her.

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As per the complaint of the 29-year-old woman who is an Andheri resident, she met Hemant during a project in 2019. They both developed intimacy and Hemant asked her to get into a physical relationship with him. He told the complainant that he is going through a divorce and will marry her as soon as it is done. The woman told police that she opposed Hemant's advances but he still forced himself upon her.

When the complainant came to know about the case against the accused in Delhi, she confronted him. Hemant got angry and threatened her. The woman also came to know that Hemant had not filed for a divorce. She then approached Versova police and lodged a complaint.

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"Hemant betrayed me and lied that his divorce case was going on in court. When I came to know about it, he also threatened me," she told Mid-Day.

Accused Hemant Kumar

Police arrested Hemant from Mysuru in Karnataka.

The advocate of the complainant, Vaibhav Khanolkar, said that Hemant had applied for anticipatory bail, which was rejected in the sessions court. The bail plea was withdrawn in the high court as Justice Sarang Kotwal expressed his disinclination to grant relief. After which, Hemant was arrested.

"On the complaint of the woman, police have registered a case against Hemant under sections 376 (Punishment for sexual assault), 377 (Unnatural offences),420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) and arrested him," said an officer from Versova police station

"Hemant was from Mysuru in Karnataka, the matter is being probed," investigating officer Ramesh Deokar of Versova police said.

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