Kannada film director abducted, assaulted; actress among 11 arrested

Bengaluru police said the assault of the Kannada film director over a financial dispute related to his film, highlighting the dark side of the film industry

Eleven people, among them a woman, were arrested for allegedly kidnapping and brutally assaulting a Kannada film director and robbing him of gold ornaments and cash, police said on Thursday.

The matter came to light after he filed a complaint at Adugodi police station on February 11, they said.

Among those arrested is a female actor named Aishwarya, who is also a social media influencer, the police added.

According to the police, in his complaint, T A Anish stated that he had directed a new film titled Jeevanada Bhashe, which is yet to be released.

An investor in the film, along with another associate working with him, developed a financial dispute with Anish.

About two months ago, the complainant moved from Bengaluru to Mumbai.

During this period, he informed a female actor friend residing in Indiranagar, Bengaluru, that he was planning to sell his car. The accused came to know of this through the actress and told the complainant they would help him sell the vehicle, a senior police officer said.

On February 9, they called him from Mumbai to Bengaluru. Thereafter, the accused, along with others, asked the complainant to come to a location within the limits of Adugodi police station, he said.

On the same night, they allegedly kidnapped him in a car and took him to a house within the jurisdiction of Byadarahalli police station, where they wrongfully confined him.

Five to six persons then allegedly assaulted him with cricket stumps and hockey sticks and robbed him of the gold ornaments he was wearing and Rs 30,000 in cash, the police said.

Later, they took him by car to Mandaragiri Hill near Panditanahalli in Tumakuru district, where two more persons joined them and allegedly assaulted him again, the police said.

Based on the complaint, a case of kidnapping and assault was registered at Adugodi police station.

"During the investigation, the police pursued multiple angles and secured a total of 11 accused, including one woman, involved in the crime," the officer said.

The police also seized six mobile phones used in the offence, gold ornaments, a car and cash from the accused.

The accused were produced in a court, which remanded them to custody, the police said, adding that further investigation is underway.