Published 12:27 IST, February 8th 2020
Poonam Pandey files criminal case against Raj Kundra, latter says 'not received yet'
"My right to live and privacy has been affected. Just because I am Poonam Pandey, you can’t subject me to this treatment," said Poonam Pandey in a statement.
Poonam Pandey has been going through some difficult times since last 6 months as she is bombarded with phone calls from across India and Karachi where people are requesting her to "strip". How did this happen? According to Pandey's statement, her phone number along with the tagline: 'Call me, I will strip for you' was published on her app that was managed by Raj Kundra's company.
Accusing Kundra and his associates of releasing her number even after contract termination, Pandey has now moved Bombay High Court to file a criminal case. In an interview with a leading daily, Pandey said people started sending her pornographic images and videos, requesting explicit services. Pandey revealed that she left the country for three months in hopes that things would normalise but unfortunately, it didn't.
She added that she approached Saurabh Kushwah (associate from Kundra's company) from a new number and requested him not to upload anything about her on the app but later she started receiving obscene messages on the new number too. According to her, she recorded the statement with Bandra Police station on December 7, 2019, but they refused to file an FIR against Kundra and therefore she had to file a petition in Bombay High Court.
"I will approach the cyber-crime cell, too. I am going through this nightmare just because I refused to work with them. I am living under constant threats of abduction, rape, murder and acid attack. My right to live and privacy has been affected. Just because I am Poonam Pandey, you can’t subject me to this treatment. I am what I am in my world. People can call me controversy’s favourite. I don't have a problem with that, but you can’t disrespect me and threaten my existence," she told the daily.
Raj Kundra's statement
In response to Poonam Pandey's allegations, Raj Kundra in a media statement said, "I had invested in a company called Armsprime Media last year, which makes apps for celebrities. I am not aware of the petition as I exited the venture in December 2019 with a sale to the current shareholders.”
Lawyer Arjun Singh, who represents Armsprime Media, said, “We have just learnt that Poonam has filed a petition in Bombay High Court. We haven’t been served a copy of it, yet. The matter has neither been listed nor heard. We will deal with it once we receive a copy of the petition. As far as her allegations are concerned, there is no substance in them."
He added: "She has been paid in excess — an amount of `60 lakh — as per the agreement in accordance of the revenue share. Just because Raj is an investor in Armsprine, she is trying to extort money by misusing criminal law. She has a civil remedy available if she feels there is a discrepancy in payments but dragging everyone in a criminal case is malicious and mischievous.”
Updated 12:27 IST, February 8th 2020