While she and her publicist insist that they are being framed, police retort that they have video evidence of the raid, and are standing by their case

By Anurag Bende & Yogesh Sadhwani, Pune Mirror | Oct 27, 2016

A day after cops filed a case against smalltime model Arshi Khan, based in Mumbai, for escaping from a rescue home, she claimed that the police are now trying to save their skin by framing her. The model, who hails from Bhopal and has been staying in Mumbai for the last few years, said she was in Pune to meet a friend and stayed at hotel Aurora Towers in Camp under her own name.

Arshi’s publicist Flynn Remedios told Mirror that the cops who ‘raided’ the room demanded money from her and when she refused, sought sexual favours. “When she refused to give in, they sent her to a rescue home, where the caretaker physically abused her and tried to take away her belongings. Arshi had Rs 20,000 in cash in the bag and thus fought back. During the scuffle, she suffered bruises. A lady cop, who was posted at the rescue home, then abused Arshi, opened the gate and asked her to get out,” said Remedios. She met someone called Vipul, along with another person in her room. Arshi and her publicist will be meeting Pune police commissioner Rashmi Shukla on Thursday.

It was then that a team of policemen barged in. “They started beating Vipul and told Arshi that he was a known pimp. Later, they told her that his associate Krishna had promised her to a decoy client, essentially suggesting that she was in the flesh trade. Arshi vehemently denied any knowledge of all this and insisted that Vipul was there to meet her only for an event,” Remedios said.

COPS SOUGHT SEXUAL FAVOURS FROM ME, SAYS ARSHI KHAN: SEE VIDEO BELOW:

The publicist claims that Arshi was taken to the police station where her bag was searched. “The cops found two Aadhaar cards and PAN cards, both with different dates of birth. She had changed her date of birth legally but the cops threatened to book her for forgery and demanded Rs 15 lakh. They asked her to turn approver against Vipul and Krishna, which she also refused. Next, another cop asked her for sexual favours,” alleged Remedios.

Early on Tuesday morning, the cops sent her to the rescue home in Wanowrie, from where she fled. The official line by the cops is that the model had come to Pune with her agent for prostitution when police raided the hotel. PI Sanjay Patil, in charge of the social security cell of Pune police, told Mirror, “We sent a decoy to the room and when we got the confirmation that she was indeed here for prostitution, we raided the room.” In their complaint, cops stated that the agent identified as Vipul Dahal originally hails from Assam, but for the last few years has been staying at Wadgaonsheri. Once she escaped, a case was registered against the model at Wanowrie police station. Senior PI Sachin Sawant, in charge of Wanowrie police station, told Mirror, “Early on Tuesday, the gates of the rescue home were opened by the security guards and the staffers were cleaning. The woman saw an opportunity and managed to flee by pushing away the constables.”

Arshi’s publicist, however, claims that the lady cop on duty opened the gate and asked her to leave for creating a ruckus. “Arshi is being framed in all this. The cops are trying to save their skin. Why would she book a room in her own name if she was there to be part of flesh trade? Also, how did the cops send her to a rescue home without any court orders? There are way too many loopholes.” He added that they have already moved an application in the Pune magistrate court challenging the cops.

CP Shukla, however, refuted all the allegations made by Arshi. “The team conducting the raid recorded everything on video. If any of her representatives wants to meet me, I am available in my office,” she said.

Patil also dismissed the allegations, saying, “Our team had a few policewomen, too. We gathered evidence before the raid. In fact, we found multiple identities on the lady. We are now conducting an inquiry to ascertain as to which of her IDs were genuine. Once we are certain we will initiate further action.”

SOURCE: PUNE MIRROR