Actor, director and producer BI Hemanth Kumar was arrested in Bengaluru by the Rajajinagar Police on charges of alleged sexual harassment, cheating and criminal intimidation. An India Today report states that the arrest was made based on a complaint filed by a television actor and reality show winner, who accused him of exploiting her under the pretext of offering her a film.

What does the complaint say?

The complaint reportedly states that Hemanth approached the actor in 2022 and promised her a role in a film. Reports of the film’s title vary, with NDTV calling it 3 and India Today calling it Richie. An agreement was signed between the two for a remuneration of ₹2 lakh, with the actor receiving ₹60,000 as an advance. However, Hemanth allegedly delayed shooting and began allegedly harassing her, insisting that she wear revealing clothes and perform obscene scenes.

The police report also states that Hemanth touched the complainant inappropriately and harassed her during a promotional trip to Mumbai. The actor complained that the behaviour did not stop on set but continued elsewhere as well. “When she resisted, Hemanth allegedly threatened her by sending rowdies,” alleged the actor in a portion of her complaint. The police remarked that such threats ‘created a sense of fear for the complainant’s safety and well-being.’

Approaching court after the film chamber

In addition to the alleged harassment, the actor claimed financial misconduct and unauthorised use of her images. Hemanth has been accused of issuing a cheque that bounced and uploading uncensored scenes from the film on social media without the actor’s consent. The actor approached the Film Chamber and reportedly completed mediation, but Hemanth allegedly continued to harass and intimidate her.

The harassment reportedly continued to 2023 when Hemanth is alleged to have spiked her drink, filming her in an inebriated state and later using the video to blackmail her. He also allegedly sent goons to threaten her and her mother. The actor approached the Bengaluru City Civil Court, which granted an interim injunction restraining Hemanth from uploading videos; however, he allegedly violated the order and continued to post defamatory content.

Hemanth has been arrested and produced before the court, where he has been remanded to judicial custody.