Businessman Raj Kundra, who's in police custody after being arrested on charges of creating and publishing pornographic content, allegedly avoided arrest till now by paying a bribe of Rs 25 lakh to Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch officials.
According to a report by Mid-Day, Arvind Srivastava alias Yash Thakur -- an absconding accused--- had emailed the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) alleging that Kundra paid Rs 25 lakhs to the officials to avoid arrest in the case.
Arvind was reportedly named as the racket's kingpin in March.
The report also states that the Anti-Corruption Bureau had forwarded the complaint to Mumbai Police in April, however, they refused to comment on the same.
Raj Kundra was arrested by the Mumbai Police's Crime Branch on Monday night. Cops had described Kundra as the "key conspirator" of the case, which was registered on February 4 at the Malwani police station in suburban Mumbai. So far, 11 persons have been arrested in the case.
Kundra's Viaan Industries had a tie-up with London-based company Kenrin, which owns 'Hotshots' app, allegedly involved in publishing pornographic films, a senior police official said on Tuesday.
"Though the company was registered in London, the content creation, operation of the app and accounting was done through Kundra's Viaan Industries," said Milind Bharambe, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), at a press briefing.
Kenrin is owned by the brother-in-law of Kundra, he said.
The police have gathered evidence which establishes connections between the two business entities, the officer said.
Kundra, who is in police custody till July 23, has been booked under sections 420 (cheating), 34 (common intention), 292 and 293 (related to obscene and indecent advertisements and displays) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) besides relevant sections of the IT Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.
