The victim has reportedly claimed that he sexually assaulted her in the last two years on the pretext of marrying her.

Rape (Representative image)
Representative ImageIANS

Harshavardhan TJ, producer and actor of Kannada movie Vision 2023, was arrested by Annapoorneshwari Nagar cops following a complaint by the victim.

According to the complaint, the victim, who worked as a supporting artiste, had a friendship with him for two years. She claimed that Harshavardhan sexually exploited her by promising to marry her and when she urged him to marry, the producer-actor abused and threatened to kill her.

The Annapoorneshwari Nagar police have filed a complaint under IPC sections 417 (cheating), 376 (rape), 504 (intentional insult and provocation), 506 (criminal intimidation), as per TV 9 Kannada.

They have also collected digital, material and physical evidence and the victim was also sent to a medical test. Meanwhile, The accused has been sent to judicial custody.

Further investigation is on.

In the glitz and glamour world, women are often exploited by sexual predators in the name of getting offers and helping to give a boost to their careers. The #MeToo campaign had exposed how casting couch and sexual harassment have become part of the industry.

Despite such cases being frequently reported, women have continued to fall prey to sexual predators.