Ahmed Ali (THE TIMES OF INDIA; February 7, 2021)

Mumbai: Actress and model Gehana Vasisth was arrested for her role in shooting and uploading porn videos on her website. Police also stumbled upon the involvement of more models, side actresses and some production houses which edited and uploaded the films shot by the gang on mobile apps and websites.

The actress, who has featured in advertisements, Hindi and Telugu cinema, was questioned by the police on Saturday afternoon. “She has shot 87 obscene/porn videos and uploaded them on her websites, which require a subscription to watch. Those who have subscribed to the channel have to pay Rs 2,000,’’ said a senior police official. She will be produced in court on Sunday.

The police said that at least three more victims have complained to the police property cell that they were forced into doing roles in porn films.

The cell had on Thursday raided Green Park bungalow at Madh Island in Malad and arrested Yasmin Beg Khan alias Rowa, Pratibha Nalawade, Monu Gopaldas Joshi, Bhanusuryam Thakur and Mohammed Asif alias Saify.

A victim who was rescued has been sent for rehabilitation. The police seized three bank accounts in which there was a balance of Rs 36 lakh, generated through subscriptions of their apps.

The police said that Yasmin was the producer and director, Saify the cameraman, Pratiba graphic designer, Joshi an actor, and Thakur an assistant.

The police seized a high definition video camera, six mobile phones, a laptop, spotlights, a camera stand, memory cards containing video clips and dialogue/scripts, said Prakash Jadhav, deputy commissioner of police.

“We got information that a gang was issuing advertisements for fresh faces and under the pretext of giving them roles in movies they used to take them to these bungalows, make them do odd scenes, lure them with bigger amounts and make them sign agreements and force them to act in porn movies,’’ said senior inspector (property cell) Kedari Pawar.

Investigating officer Laxmikant Salunke said that the accused would pay Rs 5,000-15,000 and then upload the clips on apps and social media, which would generate revenue.
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Porn racket: Model lured newbies, paid Rs. 20,000 per film

THE TIMES OF INDIA (February 8, 2021)

Mumbai: A day after actress-model Gehana Vasisth was arrested for allegedly shooting and uploading porn videos on her website on Saturday, a city court on Sunday sent her to police custody till Wednesday. Gehana has featured in advertisements besides Hindi and Telugu cinema. Her team has refuted all allegations.

“She would get struggling actors to work in films and lure them to work for her. An actor working for her was paid Rs 15,000-20,000 per movie,” said a police officer.

An officer said she had shot 87 obscene/ porn videos and uploaded them on her websites that required a subscription of Rs 2,000 to watch. Three of her bank accounts having Rs 36 lakh are under the scanner as the funds were allegedly generated through such subscribers.

A statement issued by Gehana’s press and legal team said: “Gehana Vasisth aka Vandana Tiwari is totally innocent. She is not involved in any porn film racket...She is being falsely implicated and trapped or made a victim by vested interests and business competitors who are out to defame her...”
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Police probing Madh Island case say aspiring actors are being exploited with lure of web shows
Faizan Khan (MID-DAY; February 8, 2021)

Following the arrest of model-actress Gehana Vasisth for allegedly shooting porn videos of newcomers on the pretext of giving them roles in web series, the police are exploring action against those from showbiz sharing their nudes on the Internet for cash. Sources said three victims have told the police that they had signed agreements with Vasisth’s production house and were forced to do ‘bold’ scenes for the jobs.

Vasisth's alleged involvement in the porn racket surfaced after the Property Cell raided a Madh Island bungalow last week and arrested five people. While cops have found hundreds of x-rated videos from the accused, Vasisth, whose real name is Vandana Tiwari, was arrested on Saturday. A court on Sunday sent her to police custody till February 10. 

"We have found her own [Vasisth's] pornographic videos on some websites. There are other leading and known models who have shared such videos on these websites which one can view by paying a subscription fee of Rs 2,000 or more," a Crime Branch officer said. The officer added, "We are taking legal opinions if action can be taken against actresses and models for sharing their obscene videos on their social media accounts and other porn sites."

Since there are government curbs on porn sites in India, many models and actresses use foreign IPs to upload sleazy videos, said Crime Branch officers. There are no complaints against them as of now. The others arrested have been identified as producer-director Rowa Khan, alias Yasmeen Khaan, photographer Monu Sharma, actors Bhanu Thakur, Arish Shaikh and creative director Pratibha Nalawade. One victim has been sent to a rehabilitation centre. 

The police believe Rowa is the brain behind the racket. "They have been uploading videos through HotHit app using foreign IP addresses as pornographic videos are banned in India," said inspector Kedari Pawar who busted the dirty business. The paid website has about 4 lakh subscribers. The cops believe the gang has earned crores by selling raunchy videos and paid their victims just Rs 15,000 or Rs 20,000.

Porn acts punishable, says senior lawyer
Senior lawyer Dr Sujay Kantawala said, "Obscene acts which manifest in various forms, in a public place, tending towards exciting the depraved or prurient interest and which have no literary, scientific or community value and are pornographic, which are likely to corrupt the human mind and cause annoyance to others are punishable. Though I feel that this law in today’s time is otiose and needs to be scrapped."

Feb 10
Time till when Vasisth has been remanded in police custody

4L
No. of subscribers of the app that was used to upload the clips