Mumbai: A sessions court has rejected the bail application of the businessman, Sarfaraz Ahsan alias Amar Khanna, who was arrested for allegedly raping and cheating veteran actress Zeenat Aman. The court refused to grant bail, observing that the witnesses concerned have not been able to support the claim of the accused that he and Ms Aman got married. The court also took into the consideration an investigation by Mhada (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) that revealed that the accused had allegedly cheated Ms Aman by fraudulently transferring two of her flats on his name.
According to the complaint, Khanna alleged induced her to part with huge sums of money to make ‘profitable investments’ in properties with his help. The accused allegedly extracted money as well as ornaments and bank savings as well as made Ms Aman sell a flat that was in her mother’s name for such purposes. Later, Ms Aman came to learn about offences registered against Khanna at Versova police station and Bangur Nagar police station from two women. Following this, she started asking him for her money and properties.
She has further alleged that when she started demanding her belongings back, Khanna allegedly raped her and gave her papers that he claimed were marriage documents between them.
Ms Aman claimed that all the documents, which included a nikahnama (marriage certificate) in Urdu, Mhada flat allotment letters and notarised agreements of flats in Santa Cruz, were bogus. According to Ms Aman, the accused had cheated her of more than Rs 15 crore.
Khanna’s lawyer had contended that he had been falsely implicated in the case due to ‘vengeance’. He further claimed that Khanna and Ms Aman are husband and wife, had been staying together since 2012 and the allegations of rape are false. However, judge Shayana Patil rejected his bail plea.
