Goan Model Claims Bollywood Producer Raped Her During Audition

MUMBAI: An aspiring model, originally hailing from North Goa has claimed in a complaint to the Mumbai police that she was allegedly raped by a Bollywood producer last year when she went to meet him at a photo studio at Versova near Andheri in suburban Mumbai.

According to the 22-year-old fresher (name withheld as per Supreme Court guidelines), she had come to Mumbai in September last year and was living in the Four Bungalows, MAHADA area as a PG (Paying Guest) along with some friends in a sharing accommodation.

She stated in her complaint that she hails from Porvorim in North Goa, but has been living away from her family for purpose of work for the last 3 years. Prior to coming to Mumbai, she lived in Delhi and Bengaluru for varying periods of time, she said.

She met the so-called producer at a party and was introduced by a friend.  He asked her to meet him for a discussion  on some projects. He told her to meet him at a photo studio at Versova. When she went to meet him at the photo studio, the producer took her in to an inner room and demanded her to take off her clothes, which she flatly refused and tried to escape, she alleged.

However the producer over-powered her and pinned her to a couch and forcibly raped her, she has alleged in her complaint.

She is currently living near Thane on the outskirts of Mumbai city limits, she stated. Police are conducting a preliminary inquiry and visited the photo studio, which has now been dismantled due to the second Covid wave this year, during April-May in Mumbai.