T-Series MD Bhushan Kumar booked for rape, company calls allegations 'completely false'

Mumbai police have registered a case against T-Series' managing director Bhushan Kumar, son of music baron late Gulshan Kumar, for allegedly raping a woman on the promise of providing a job to her, a charge that the company claimed is "completely false and malicious".

The offence was registered on Thursday at D N Nagar police station in Andheri (West) on the basis of the complaint lodged by the 30-year-old woman, who is an actor, an official said.

As per the complaint, Bhushan Kumar, 43, allegedly raped the woman on the pretext of providing a job to her in some project of his company, the official said.

Sources in the police department said that the complainant knew Kumar since the last few years and he allegedly sexually exploited her between 2017 and 2020 at various places.

The woman said she was cheated by him and hence she approached the police, the official said.

According to the official, Kumar has been booked under IPC sections 376 (rape), 420 (cheating), 506 (criminal intimidation).

In a statement issued to the media, T-Series denied the charges and said the company is in the process of consulting their lawyers and "will take appropriate legal action".

"The complaint filed against Mr. Bhushan Kumar is completely false and malicious and the contents of the same are denied. It has been falsely alleged that the lady in question was sexually exploited between 2017 to 2020 on the pretext of giving her work.

"It is a matter of record that she has already worked for T-Series banner in Film and music videos," the production company said in a statement.

As per T-Series, the woman had approached Kumar in March 2021, seeking help to fund a web series she wanted to produce, but she was "politely refused".

T-Series claimed that the complainant was trying to extort money from the company, leading the banner to file a case against her.

"Consequently, a complaint was filed by T-Series banner against the attempted extortion with police at Amboli police station on 1st July 2021. We also have evidence in the form of audio recording for the extortion attempt and the same shall be provided to the investigating agency," the statement added.

T-Series said the present complaint filed by the actor is nothing but a "counterblast to the complaint filed against her" for extortion.

"We are in the process of consulting our lawyers in this regard and will take appropriate legal action," the statement concluded.