Vijay Raaz arrested for allegedly molesting crew member: report

Vijay Raaz, seen in Bollywood films Lootcase and Gulabo Sitabo, has been accused of allegedly molesting a female crew member. He was arrested by the police in Gondia.

Actor Vijay Raaz has been arrested by the police in Gondia, some 150 kms from Maharashtra for outraging the modesty of his co-star. According to reports, Raaz (57) was in Gondia since October 20 along with around 50 cast and crew for the shooting of Hindi feature film Sherni in adjoining Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh.

The team was staying in two different hotels in Gondia and used to go to Balaghat, some 40 kms from Gondia, every day for shooting in forest areas. Balaghat is the gateway to the famous Kanha tiger reserve of Madhya Pradesh, which is home to around 80 tigers.

It was alleged that Raaz continuously harassed and teased a 30-year-old woman co-actor staying in the same hotel where he was staying. The Bollywood actor repeatedly tried to molest his co-star during evening hours for the last three days. Fed up with his behaviour, the woman approached the local police on Monday night and lodged a formal complaint. Vidya Balan is in the lead role of Sherni and was staying in the same hotel, reports said.

The investigation officer of Ram Nagar police station of Gondia, Pramod Ghonge, informed that the police have booked the actor after getting a formal complaint from the woman. He was booked under the section of 354 (A and D) of the Indian Penal Code and produced before the local court. He was later released on bail, Ghonge said.

Raaz was not available for his comments.

An ANI report has quoted Atul Kulkarni, Additional SP, Gondia as saying, “Actor Vijay Raaz was arrested from Gondia allegedly for molesting a woman crew member. A case has been registered.”

Vijay was recently seen in Lootcase and is currently looking forward to the release of Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari. He reportedly has a role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming film Gangubai Kathiawadi as well.

Vijay has earlier been seen in the role of Ranveer Singh’s character’s father in Gully Boy. His role of a policeman in Dream Girl and the onscreen father of Sanya Malhotra and Radhika Madan in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Pataakha are also popular.