Karim Morani, producer of Chennai Express, booked by Hyderabad police for rape, blackmail

The Hyderabad police have filed a case of rape and blackmail against leading Bollywood producer Karim Morani. News of the charges against Morani were reported by ANI.

Hyderabad: Police register a rape case against Film Producer Karim Morani

— ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2017

India Today reports that the victim is a 25 year old Delhi-based Bachelor of Business Management student. She lodged a complaint at the Hayathnagar police station on 10 January. She alleged that Morani had raped her on different occasions in Mumbai and at a film studio in the outskirts of Hyderabad in 2015. The same report quotes Tafseer Iqubal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (LB Nagar Zone), as saying,“Since the info took place over a period of time, we are verifying the fact and gathering the necessary evidence.” Morani has been booked under 417 (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 Indian Penal Code. However, The Indian Express reports that Morani has rubbished the rumours of this allegation through this statement, ““The complaint is absolutely false and bogus with the sole intention of tarnishing my reputation and image. I will be taking appropriate steps in accordance with law to demonstrate that complaint is malafide. I am truthful and innocent and has full faith in the judiciary and is ready and willing to co-operate with the authorities to the fullest extent.” [caption id=“attachment_3209996” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Karim Morani. Image courtesy Twitter[/caption] Morani is the producer of films like Chennai Express and Happy New Year. He is also the owner of Cineyug, an events and production company. His daughter Zoa Morani had made her Bollywood debut with the 2011 film Always Kabhi Kabhi. In 2011, Morani had come under the authorities’ scanner for his involvement in the 2G spectrum scam. At the time, Firstpost had published a report on just who Morani was: Bollywood’s filmi galas, weddings and stage shows are incomplete without the Morani brothers – Aly, Karim and Mohammad – the super trio of show business. Amir Morani, the eldest brother, after whom their business, Amir Fireworks was named in 1937, has retired and is no longer a partner in the troubled Cineyug Films launched in 1997. Cineyug Films landed in rough waters when the CBI uncovered its links with Swan Telecom and Dynamix Realty, both involved in the 2G spectrum allocation scam. The CBI, in its second charge sheet alleged that the promoters of these companies, Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka, used Cineyug Films to funnel funds worth Rs 200 crore into the DMK-managed Kalaignar TV. Its founder Karim Morani was the one who facilitated the transfer. The Morani brothers have seen tremendous rise. Aly, Karim and Mohammad worked their way into the glamour industry by turning Cineyug into an indispensable force in Bollywood. Bunty Soorma was the fourth partner in Cineyug but after his death in March 2002, the Morani brothers maintained their partnership by bringing his wife, Neelam, on board. Despite the flamboyance their work requires, the brothers are quite understated outside the professional realm. Cineyug manages, scripts, directs and coordinates ad films, live concerts and stage shows in India and abroad.