Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 18, 2013)

Eighty-three-year old producer Rajkumar Kohli once had a string of blockbusters like Nagin (1976), Jaani Dushman (1979), Naukar Biwi Ka and Raaj Tilak (1984) to his credit. In the early 90s, he introduced Armaan in Virodhi (1992). The film bombed, so did Aulad Ke Dushman (1993) and Qahar (1997). In 2002 his attempts to re-launch his son in the sequel Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani didn't create any ripples. Armaan finally grabbed headlines when he was arrested on Monday evening. His father staunchly defends him. Excerpts:
 
What was your reaction to the news of Armaan’s arrest? I was at home when I heard the news. Shocked, I rushed to Lonavala. Armaan was numb, more shocked than I was.
 
Has anybody from the film industry called to extend their support? Not a single person has called, kaun kisko poochta hai!
 
Sofia filed an FIR against Armaan… (Cuts in) Look at her face; you can see that she is looking for free publicity. Besides, Bigg Boss is just a show and the contestants are simply doing what they are told to do.
 
You mean it’s all staged? Lagta toh aisa hi hai. There must be a director in charge. Actors enact action scenes in movies according to 
the instructions of the director and still get hurt. Something similar happened here too.
 
What is Armaan doing in his life besides Bigg Boss 7? Nothing, I need to sit him down when he returns to understand what is on his mind.
 
His films sank without a trace, did that make him aggressive? Armaan was a normal child during his academic days though I admit that he never told me what happened between his friends and him. He gets angry, but only when provoked.
 
Don’t you think host Salman Khan should have been more authoritative and sorted the differences between Sofia and Armaan? I don’t know how much access Salman has to the contestants. He is a nice guy but you have to understand that he is just hosting the show. 
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Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; December 18, 2013)

Armaan Kohli was arrested on Monday night from the Big Boss House for physically abusing Sofia Hayat, his co-contestant in the reality show. The Lonavala Police arrested him late Monday night for assaulting his co-participant, British singer Sofia Hayat. He was produced in the Wadgaon Maval Court and he got bail last afternoon.

Sofia Hayat had registered a complaint with Santacruz Police Station, following which the police booked Kohli under Sections 324, 509, 506 and 504 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Sofia accused Armaan of hitting her with a wooden mop, inside the Bigg Boss house in Lonavla on December 4.

The complaint was later transferred to the Lonavla police station for investigation.

Armaan spent the night at the Lonavala Police Station, Before arresting Kohli, the Lonavala police had contacted the the reality show organisers, seeking unedited video footage from their set. Inspector Vishnu Pawar of the Lonavala police station is monitoring the investigations.

Armaan’s father, producer Rajkumar Kohli — who’s right now in Lonavla, is waiting for Armaan to come out on bail — sounds furious. “I have already submitted the papers to my lawyer and I am going to file a case against Sofia Hayat. I’m definitely going to sue this girl for defamation.” When asked if Armaan is short tempered otherwise, he says “Not at all, Armaan is a very noble person. He is not like this but in the Bigg Boss House he is being provoked. And if you provoke anyone constantly then the person will get irritated and react. It’s the nature of the person, people shouldn’t irritate him the way she did.”

Commenting on the closeness between Armaan and Tanisha, he said, “I am following the show. But till the time they come out or I meet Armaan and he discusses it with me, I can’t comment on it. He doesn’t have any girlfriend outside and he is a very sensitive person. If he’s provoked, he will react.”