Bollywood actress Sherlyn Chopra on Thursday has beendenied anticipatory bail in the porn racket case, involving businessman andShilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra.
Amid fear of getting arrested by the Mumbai Police CrimeBranch, Chopra had moved Mumbai Sessions court to seek protection well beforetime. However, the Court turned down her plea, paving way for the investigationagency to record her statement as a witness in the creation and publishing ofpornographic content on applications.
Chopra’s lawyer had told the court that the bail applicationwas filed as the actress feared her arrest just like the others accused in thecase. He further added that Sherlyn was not refraining from the investigation.
Advocate Siddhesh Borkar appearing for Sherlyn Chopraargued before Judge Sonali Agarwal and said, "This is the same case whereaccused Raj Kundra was also not given notice under 41 A and was straight awaypicked up. The police has done this with other accused as well. I myself haveappeared as an advocate for accused number 7, Umesh, and he was also picked upby police without giving notice. It has been prevalent in theirinvestigation."
"Chopra had reasonable apprehension that if she wentto police in good faith and then got arrested. So that is why she needsprotection,” the lawyer added.
In a reply to Sherlyn’s protection plea, the police saidthat during the investigation they found out through media that she had grievancesagainst Raj Kundra. The investigation team had even gone through her statementin the Cyber Cell case, therefore, to collect strong evidence against thearrested accused in the case, they wanted to get Sherlyn Chopra’s statement.