Mumbai: Mumbai Police have arrested actor Nadeem Khan, who featured in the recent Bollywood hit Dhurandhar, in connection with an alleged rape case filed by a woman who worked as his domestic help. The arrest, carried out last week, has drawn attention away from the film’s box office success and placed the actor at the centre of a serious criminal investigation.
Khan, who played the character Ahlak, the cook of antagonist Rehman Dakait in Dhurandhar, was taken into custody following a complaint by a 41-year-old woman. According to the police, the complainant alleged that Khan maintained a physical relationship with her for nearly a decade on the false assurance that he would marry her.
As per the complaint, the woman had been employed as a domestic help at the actor’s residence for several years after previously working for other actors. During this period, she and Khan allegedly became close. She claimed that the physical relationship began after he promised marriage, a commitment she says was repeatedly postponed and ultimately refused.
When the alleged promise was not fulfilled, the woman approached the Versova police station to file a complaint. Since the alleged offences were said to have taken place primarily at Khan’s residence in Malwani and the complainant also resides in the same area, the case was transferred from Versova police to Malwani police station through a zero FIR.
A senior police officer from Malwani police station said the actor was arrested on the basis of the woman’s statement and that the allegations are currently being verified. Investigators stated that the alleged relationship spanned nearly 10 years, with incidents reportedly occurring both at the complainant’s home and at the actor’s residence in Versova.
Police officials have confirmed that further investigation into the matter is ongoing.
Despite the controversy, Nadeem Khan is slated to appear next in Vadh 2, starring Neena Gupta and Sanjay Mishra. The film, a sequel to the critically acclaimed 2022 release Vadh, is scheduled to hit theatres on February 6.
