The Bombay high court (HC) on Friday granted bail to actor-singer Karan Oberoi in connection with a rape case registered against him at Oshiwara police station.

Justice Revati Mohite-Dere granted the 44-year-old cash bail of ₹50,000 and has asked him to report to Oshiwara police station every Sunday till the completion of the probe, and as and when called by the investigating officer.

On May 4, the police booked Oberoi under sections 328 (causing hurt with an intent to commit an offence), 376 (rape) and 384 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on the basis of a complaint lodged by a 34-year-old astrologer.

The complainant said the actor had lured her into a physical relationship under the false promise of marriage, filmed her in secret and extorted valuables from her. She claimed that she was made to gift him household items like a sofa set, bed, fridge and also valuables such as a necklace for his mother.

Oberoi was arrested a day after the registration of the offence.

He approached the HC for bail after his plea was rejected by the Dindoshi sessions court on May 17. His counsel, advocate Dinesh Tiwari, said Oberoi and the complainant met in October 2016 after she visited the actor’s residence.

Tiwari said thereafter they became friends and later entered a consensual, romantic relationship. The woman started lodging complaints against Oberoi, who alleged she was involved in black magic and cult practices.

Tiwari said the woman lodged several non-cognisable complaints with the local police after their relationship ended and the actor stopped communicating with her. Tiwari also pointed our that the previous complaints did not mention rape or extortion, and that the sessions court had disbelieved the complainant’s claim that the actor had spiked her drink and raped her, filmed the act and later blackmailed her.

Justice Mohite-Dere accepted Tiwari’s arguments and noted that the messages exchanged between the complainant and Oberoi on an online messaging service did not show any demands made by the actor. The judge was also irked to note the complainant allegedly stage-managed an assault on herself, apparently to ensure the actor is not granted bail. But, the police probe into the attack revealed it was a false complaint and that teh episode was allegedly orchestrated by the woman in connivance with her lawyer.

The judge rapped the police for failing to act against the fake attack and filing a false complaint against the actor.

The judge expressed displeasure that although the woman’s lawyer and the two assailants on the bike were arrested, no action has been taken against the woman.

First Published: Jun 08, 2019 04:27 IST