Showing posts with label Chrisann Pereira. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chrisann Pereira. Show all posts
Chrisann Pereira happy to be back home, says "I went into a cloud of darkness"
8:36 AM
Looking back on her harrowing, wrongful imprisonment in the UAE, Chrisann Pereira shares how she kept herself going
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 4, 2023)
Four months after being imprisoned in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE) over a fake drug case she was framed in, actor Chrisann Pereira returned to Mumbai on Thursday, much to the delight of her near and dear ones. Upon returning, she met Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar and other senior police officials to thank them for their help.
Speaking to us soon after, Pereira says, “I am so happy to be back. I feel safe and happy to reunite with my family. I am looking forward to whatever life has to bring to me. If we can tackle this, we can tackle anything.”
The past few months, the Sadak 2 (2020) actor reveals, have been “crazy”. “I went into a cloud of darkness and had no idea what was going on. I was also shocked with the overall situation. I was overthinking, trying to make sense of why someone would do this to me,” Pereira’s voice cracks up.
The actor was sent to Sharjah, allegedly by a Mumbai-based baker and his associate (both of whom were arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch on April 29), under the pretext of an audition. They gave her a trophy stuffed with drugs before she boarded the flight. But, upon landing there on April 1, she was arrested and lodged in central prison.
Losing hope in such a situation is very easy. What kept her going? “Every day, I would say to myself, ‘I have to survive’. I would wake up with that intention. Once I spoke to my parents 17 days into my arrest, they gave me hope and updated me every single day on my case. I’d work out to keep my mental health in check. I even danced to no music,” says the 27-year-old.
Now freed from prison life, Pereira hopes to “jump right back into work”. “My family and I are also talking about how much time we are going to be spending together, the food we will eat and the little things we must now appreciate,” the actor signs off.
I am lucky; I never expected to be freed so soon, says Chrisann Pereira who turned Sharjah jail celeb
8:35 AM
Ahmed Ali (THE TIMES OF INDIA; August 4, 2023)
Mumbai: Even after returning home, actor Chrisann Pereira is traumatized by the 26 days she spent in Sharjah jail since April 1. “I am lucky and thank God I managed to come out of a narcotics case which attracts 25 years punishment; cases like mine are very rare,” she said on Thursday.
She was speaking after meeting Mumbai police officials to thank them for the support. She also expressed gratitude to her family, friends, the Sharjah authorities, churches, media, and all those who gave her hope during the difficult time.
“I never expected to be released in a drug case in Sharjah so soon, and one day in jail was like a month. I lost all hope and had no connection with the outside world,” she said.
Asked how she coped, she said: “I was in depression, I spent most of the time sleeping, watching TV and working out to keep myself going… Till 17/18 days, I did not know I had been framed in the drug case, until I spoke to my mother over phone from the jailer’s phone.”
Describing her ordeal, she said though the jail was centrally air-conditioned, she had to share a ward with 30 other inmates, including from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria and Philippines. But there was a silver lining: once they found out she was an actor from Mumbai, she became a celebrity inside overnight.
“Some of the inmates who knew Arabic learnt from the cops that I was an actor and they started telling me that finally we have an actor with us. Some inmates gave me coffee secretly and became good friends.”
She recounted her mother had managed to reach 100 dirhams to her through the church and she bought soap and detergent powder with it.
Is she planning a book or has anyone approached her for a web series on her ordeal? Chrisann broke into rare laughter.
After the dark period, Chrisann is overwhelmed by the support and is planning to go back to work. “I am so taken aback by all the love and support I got from people with whom I have worked, and even from all walks of life who have reached out. I will go back to work after taking a short break.”
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Actor Chrisann Pereira, back home after being cleared of trumped-up drug charges in the UAE, thanks Mumbai crime branch for ensuring culprit’s arrest and helping her clear her name
Faizan Khan (MID-DAY; August 4, 2023)
Picture yourself excited about an international venture you’ve always dreamed of, only to end up in jail because you were honest and reported a possible job scam,” said actor Chrisann Pereira, while speaking to mid-day upon returning home after 124 days. Framed by city-based baker Anthony Paul, Chrisann was locked up for 26 days in Sharjah, the UAE, on drug charges.
She returned home on Wednesday, after being cleared of the drug charges. On Thursday, she met with Commissioner of Police (CP) Vivek Phansalkar and Joint Commissioner (Crime) Lakhmi Gautam, to thank them for promptly taking on her case and eventually proving her innocence.
“It was an absolute nightmare, and for the first time in my life, I felt helpless as we knew who had framed my daughter, but we couldn’t take any action. However, when the crime branch got involved, they swiftly arrested the culprits and ensured our daughter’s return to India. Their thorough investigation ultimately proved her innocence, and we are immensely grateful to them,” said Mark Pereira, Chrisann’s father.
Raj Tilak Roushan (DCP Detection-1) explained, “We expedited our investigation and filed the charge sheet before the deadline, translated the documents into Arabic and sent them to the relevant authorities abroad. The local court in Sharjah considered this evidence, aiding in the pursuit of justice.” Senior PI Deepak Sawant of crime branch’s Unit 10 had arrested Paul, the prime accused, his associate Rajesh Borate alias Ravi and their drug supplier Shantilal Rajput.
Chrisann, in an interview with mid-day, courageously recounted the ordeal she endured over the past three months. Below are excerpts from the interview:
Chrisann, could you please tell us how it all started?
Picture yourself excited about a job opportunity, an international venture you’ve always dreamed of, only to end up in jail because you were honest and reported a possible job scam. It was nightmarish. I had seen such scenarios only in movies, and I couldn’t believe it was happening to me. Ravi booked my tickets to Sharjah for April 1. Before leaving, when Ravi asked me to carry along a trophy, I didn’t think too much of it.
How did you find yourself trapped in that situation?
Upon landing at Sharjah airport, I noticed the messages from Ravi had disappeared. I felt something was amiss. There was no hotel booking, which made me anxious. I informed my parents, and in a state of panic, I dumped the trophy in a dustbin. But fearing that someone could be following me and may harm me, I took the trophy out and handed it to the local authorities. I explained to them everything. They rescanned my bag and found drugs hidden in the trophy along with a note that read: ‘The joke is on you’. They arrested me, and for 17 days, I couldn’t inform my family.
How was your experience at the prison?
Those 26 days in jail felt like an eternity. It was terrifying, as people said I could spend 25 years in jail because of the UAE’s strict drug laws. I was locked up with inmates from Egypt, Africa, Pakistan and other countries. Although there were some basic facilities, like medical check-ups, washrooms and AC, it was still a prison. Every second, I yearned to be free. Finally, on April 26, the news came that I had been granted bail and I walked out of the prison. Eventually, I was cleared of all charges. But, I can hardly put the ordeal inside those walls into words.
How did you cope with the hardships, far from home?
I survived thanks to my family, who put their trust in me and believed in my innocence. I was relieved when I learned that the crime branch had stepped in and apprehended the culprits who had framed me.
Framed in drug case, Chrisann Pereira back home from UAE jail
8:31 AM
Ahmed Ali (THE TIMES OF INDIA; August 4, 2023)
Mumbai: Actor Chrisann Pereira, who was framed in a drugs case in Sharjah in April and spent almost a month in jail, returned to the city late on Wednesday night after being cleared by the UAE authorities. The Sadak 2 actor broke down at the airport on seeing her family, who had come to receive her with their pet dog in tow. Chrisann hugged her father, mother and brother and wept inconsolably at the reunion after four months.
“I never expected to be released in a drug case in Sharjah so soon, and each day in jail was like a month,” she said later.
Chrisann was acquitted by a Sharjah court in June on the Indian government’s request through diplomatic channels. Her discharge and return are a boost for Mumbai police, who have charged Malad baker Paul Anthony with framing Chrisann and others over petty issues.
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Mumbai: Back home after her 4-month ordeal in UAE, Chrisann Pereira and her family called on police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar on Thursday and thanked the crime branch team for her release. Chrisann was struggling to control her emotions as she narrated her ordeal. She said she had heard of such vicious plots in movies, but never imagined she could end up as a victim.
The crime branch is likely to record Chrisann’s statement in a day or two under CRPC section 164 before a magistrate to make a strong case against Anthony and the other accused.
Chrisann, who also featured in ‘Batla House’, is back home, but another alleged Anthony victim, Clayton Rodrigues, has been sentenced to 25 years in jail and his appeal is pending in the Sharjah court. Diplomatic efforts are on to help Rodrigues.
Though the framing incidents were similar, several factors helped Chrisann prove her innocence in the Sharjah court, said crime branch officials. Anthony had got his friend Rajesh Bobhate alias Ravi to pose as talent manager and approach the actor. He claimed to be the representative of a talent management company in the UAE and offered her an audition for a web series in Sharjah.
“On April 1, when Chrisann was to fly to Sharjah, Bobhate met her near the airport and suddenly handed her a memento with DJ Rishikesh Pandya’s name embossed on it. Bobhate said someone would come and collect it at Sharjah. On the other hand, Anthony, the brain behind the conspiracy, tipped off the Sharjah authorities,” said investigating officer Afroz Shaikh. Marijuana had been planted inside the memento. In Rodrigues’ case, he was lured with a musical gig offer in Sharjah and given a drug-laced cake.
Chrisann cleared security at Sharjah airport and as there was no response from Bobhate or the agency on the memento, she dumped it in a bin and walked away. But her father instructed that she should hand it over to the authorities. This was two-edged: at this point, security traced the narcotics and detained Chrisann, but it also proved to be the “turning point” in the case because CCTV footage at the airport corroborated the sequence of events during scrutiny by the Sharjah authorities.
“Secondly, our investigation report annexing evidence, statements of various witnesses, bogus tickets, bogus audition invitation and other documents sent to Sharjah authorities through the diplomatic channels helped clear her of drug charges,” said JCP (crime) Lakhmi Gautam, who supervised the investigations.
Another important element that helped Chrisann was a chit saying, “Joke on you,” found in the memento. It was also found in the cake Rodrigues was carrying.
The Pereira family had approached the police immediately and pointed a finger at Bobhate. Inspector Deepak Sawant placed Bobhate under surveillance and extended it to Anthony as there were many calls between them. Anthony was detained and under sustained interrogation, he spilled the beans and named Bobhate, a bank official.
It emerged Anthony had framed Chrisann to take revenge after her mother had argued with his sister during the lockdown over Covid guidelines and over pet dog issues in the society. It transpired that Anthony and Bobhate had similarly tried to frame four others. Besides cheating and forgery, Anthony has been booked for extortion as he called up the families of Chrisann and Rodrigues and claimed he knew officials in Sharjah. He sought Rs 80 lakh to bribe them and for legal fees to free them.
Chrisann is losing her mental health as days go by-Kevin Pereira
8:15 AM
Ahmed Ali (THE TIMES OF INDIA; June 24, 2023)
Mumbai: Sadak 2 actor Chrisann Pereira who was allegedly framed in a drug case in Sharjah and recently released, will have to wait for a few more weeks to return to India. Sharjah officials have informed the Pereira family that her passport has been sent to a committee which will take a call on her return to India.
Pereira’s family, which has been waiting for her return since April when she was cleared by the Sharjah court of all narcotic charges, are upset over the delay in the procedure and her inability to fly back to Mumbai.
“We have been informed by the jail that the passport has been sent to a committee to decide if she can return. This process can take one or two months more. The case has been shut in court, yet we have to wait for this long,” Pereira’s brother Kevin said.
“My sister is losing her mental health as days go by. . . Anyone would. It’s really unfair after being proven innocent, what she and we are going through. We have asked the Indian embassy to intervene and help us,” he added.
A day after Pereira was released on bail from Sharjah jail, she posted a message on Twitter describing the time she spent in jail. She said she washed her hair with a washing powder and made coffee using toilet water.
On Monday, Mumbai police sources had said Sharjah authorities had given back her passport but she was waiting for her name to be removed from the travel blacklist.
The city crime branch had on April 1 arrested baker Paul Anthony and his accomplice, banker Rajesh Bhobhate alias Ravi, and drug peddler Shantisingh Rajput for allegedly orchestrating a fake audition for a web series for Pereira in Sharjah, giving her an air ticket and planting drugs on her for revenge.
During the investigation, police learnt that the accused had similarly planted drugs on four other victims—Clayton Rodrigues, Monisha D’Mello, Rishikesh Pandya and Ken Rodrigues —over some grudge or the other with them or their kin. Police on Tuesday submitted the chargesheet in the case.
Sources said Clayton’s family is seeking a certified copy of the chargesheet which police will translate from Marathi to English and Arabic and annex it to their appeal against his conviction. Sharjah court has sentenced Clayton to 25 years jail.
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Sadak 2 actress Chrisann Pereira’s brother, Kevin Pereira, talks about the delay in her return to India
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; June 24, 2023)
Soon after actress Chrisann Pereira, who was framed in a drugs case in Sharjah, was cleared of all the charges by a court in April, her family hoped she would return to India within a week. However, there has been a delay in her return.
The actress’s brother, Kevin, tells us, “After she was declared innocent and released by the Sharjah court, we were hoping she would return soon. However, she has now informed us that a committee that has her passport and other documents will decide on her return, which could take about a month or two. There is no clarity on when she will be able to come back home. This is after she has been declared innocent! She is extremely stressed and we are equally disturbed. If anything happens to her, who will take responsibility?”
Kevin is trying to get in touch with the Indian Embassy regarding his sister. He says, “We are reaching out to them to help us expedite the process. We can’t even imagine what Chrisann is feeling right now, she has already gone through a lot.”
THE CASE SO FAR
Sadak 2 actress Chrisann (27), a resident of Borivali, was arrested at Sharjah airport for carrying drugs (10 gms) hidden in a trophy on April 1. It was later found that she was framed by Anthony Paul (a bakery owner) and Rajesh Bobhate alias Ravi (a banker). Bobhate, at the behest of Paul, pretended to be a casting agent and sent Chrisann to Sharjah for an audition. He handed her a trophy to be given to someone in Sharjah and hid drugs in it. She was arrested by the Sharjah police and spent over three weeks behind bars.
After her arrest, Paul and Bobhate allegedly demanded Rs. 80 lakh from her mother to arrange her release. Soon after, the two were arrested by Mumbai Police. On Wednesday, a chargesheet was filed against them and another person who had provided them with drugs.
Chrisann Pereira cleared by UAE court, to return soon
8:19 AM
Indian actress Chrisann Pereira, who was framed in a drugs case in Sharjah, has been officially cleared of all charges by a Sharjah court on Tuesday. She will now be able to fly back to India
Faizan Khan (MID-DAY; June 13, 2023)
Actress Chrisann Pereira, who was framed in a drugs case in Sharjah, has been officially cleared of all charges by a Sharjah court on Tuesday. She will now be able to fly back to India.
Chrisann's brother, Kevin Pereira, confirmed to Midday that all the legal formalities have been completed. The Sharjah court had been waiting for the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report since April when she was released on bail.
According to sources, CCTV footages at the airport worked in her favour where she was seen returning back to the officers after crossing the customs and claiming that she has been given parcel but she was arrested after drugs were found in it at Sharjah Airport.
“We have been told that she will return to India within a week after securing her passport from the local authorities,” said Kevin.
The Mumbai crime branch, after investigating, found substance in Pereira family's statement that she was framed in the drug case. They had submitted a fact-finding report. The join Commissioner Crime Lakhmi Gautam took the cognizance of the case and asked Unit 10 of Mumbai Crime Branch headed by Deepak Sawant to investigate. Based on the investigation of the Mumbai Crime Branch and the documents sent to the Sharjah authorities, Pereira was granted bail in April while holding her passport. Sources said that in the final order the court in Sharjah has said that after reviewing the documents the case has been closed and the travel ban is lifted.
Recently, the Mumbai police arrested baker Anthony Paul and his accomplice banker Rajesh Bhobhate, also known as Ravi, for allegedly orchestrating a fake audition for a web series in Sharjah and planting drugs on Pereira on April 1 out of some grudge.
Currently, the Mumbai police are working to secure the release of Clayton Rodrigues, who was also arrested in February by Sharjah authorities for carrying a cake with a narcotic substance, the Mumbai crime branch have found that Clayton was also duped by same set of people.
Last month, the Sharjah court sentenced Clayton to 25 years imprisonment for drug possession. The Clayton family has now filed an appeal against his conviction order in the Sharjah court, citing the Pereira case and stating that Clayton was also a victim of same syndicate.
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Ahmed Ali (THE TIMES OF INDIA; June 14, 2023)
Mumbai: Actor Chrisann Pereira, who was allegedly framed in a drugs case in the UAE, was cleared of all the drug charges by the Sharjah court on Tuesday. She will be flying back to Mumbai in three to four days, sources said. Sources confirmed to TOI that the Sharjah court, which was waiting for the FSL report since April when she was released on bail, has set her free.
The Mumbai crime branch, which found substance in Pereira family’s allegations that she was framed in the drug case, had submitted a fact-finding report. Police further said the Sharjah court has asked the author-ities to hand over Chrisann Pereira's passport.
“If everything goes well, she will be booking her tickets as soon the Sharjah authorities hand over the actor her passport,” said a source.
The city crime branch had arrested baker Anthony Paul and his accomplice banker Rajesh Bhobhate alias Ravi earlier this week for allegedly orchestrating a fake audition for a web series in Sharjah, and planting drugs on Pereira on April 1 over some grudge. Mumbai police are now trying for the release of Clayton Rodrigues who, too, was arrested in February by Sharjah authorities for carrying a cake laced with a narcotic substance planted by the same accused duo. He was later convicted.
Chrisann Pereira drug case: Release likely in 2 weeks, says family
8:16 AM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (May 2, 2023)
Mumbai: The release of actor Chrisann Pereira who was allegedly framed in a drugs case in Sharjah may take at least two weeks, says Pereira family who have been pursuing her case in Sharjah court.
Chrisann’s brother Kevin posted a message on Instagram saying, “It may take minimum two weeks and maximum three weeks from now for Chrisann to complete the legal process and return back to India . I will announce her return date to all of you. Pls continue the prayers and support till she returns safely to India Thanks.”
The police said the Sharjah court heard the matter on Monday and postponed it for Wednesday. The Sharjah court had released Chrisann last week after learning through the diplomatic channel that she was framed in the case by two persons.
The city crime branch arrested Anthony Pereira and his friend Rajesh Bhobhate who orchestrated an audition in Sharjah and handed the drugs concealed under a trophy over some personal grudges.
I’m grateful that my daughter was not handcuffed, says Chrisann Pereira’s mother, Premila
8:23 AM
Vinay MR Mishra (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 29, 2023)
A few of the initial revelations to come out of actor Chrisann Pereira’s wrongful imprisonment on foreign soil have been debunked. On Thursday, the 27-year-old had shared a letter, recounting her days in Sharjah jail (in the UAE), where during her incarceration, she “washed hair with detergent” and “made coffee from toilet water”. Chrisann’s family has now refused to confirm that the actor was ill-treated in jail.
“I’m grateful that my daughter was not handcuffed,” says Pereira’s mother, Premila. “She was kept well with an air conditioner and in fact two blankets were given to her when she was feeling cold. She could buy a calling card to speak to us and was given food and other essentials. I am grateful to the authorities for taking care of her and she was safe with the women police.”
Chrisann, who was detained at Sharjah airport on April 1, is yet to return to India. “We’re sure that the officials will see that she’s innocent and come home at the earliest,” says Kevin Pereira, the actor’s brother, who has also refused to confirm that Chrisann’s alleged framing was an act of vengeance, as has been reported widely.
“We are unsure about the motives of the criminals as the matter is under investigation,” he ends.
Chrisann Pereira may fly to Mumbai on Monday; accused’s confession, Chrisann’s actions aided her release, say cops
8:22 AM
Ahmed Ali (THE TIMES OF INDIA; April 29, 2023)
Mumbai: Actor Chrisann Pereira who was allegedly framed in a drugs case in Sharjah is likely to fly to Mumbai on Monday, police sources said.
Police further said the Sharjah court will hear her case on Monday and take a call on India’s request to discharge her in the alleged fake case and release her passport. Mumbai police have received communication through an official channel which states: “Pereira’s passport confisticated and she temporarily released on bail”.
“We have been told that on Monday the court will decide on handing over Pereira’s passport. Till now, everything has gone in her favour and she was released from such serious charges of drug trafficking. We don’t expect any hurdles now,” said an officer.
If her passport is released, Pereira will fly to Mumbai late on Monday. Pereira’s parents and brother met the joint commissioner of police (crime) Lakhmi Gautam and deputy commissioner of police K K Upadhaya on Friday and thanked them for their efforts in unearthing the conspiracy of planting drugs.
The city crime branch had arrested baker Anthony Paul and his accomplice banker Rajesh Bhobhate alias Ravi earlier this week for allegedly orchestrating a fake audition for a web series in Sharjah, and sending and planting drugs on Pereira on April 1 over some grudge.
Mumbai police are now trying for the release of Clayton Rodrigues who too was arrested in February by Sharjah authorities for carrying a cake laced with a narcotic substance planted by the same accused duo.
The city crime branch on Friday recorded the statement of Rodrigue’s wife Falyn and is exploring the possibility of registering a fresh case against the arrested accused.
Police are preparing documents which will be presented before the Sharjah court when Rodrigues’s matter comes on board next week. The cake was not only laced with drugs but Sharjah officials were tipped off about a chit along with the parcel which mentioned that he was carrying 50 more kg of drugs.
Falyn has engaged the same set of lawyers that helped Pereira’s case and she is likely to fly to Sharjah to present her husband’s case.
During the course of investigation, police reportedly learnt that the duo had similarly planted drugs on Rodrigues and three other victims —Monisha Dmello, Rishikesh Pandya and Ken Rodrigues—over some grudge with them or their kin.
An official said in Sharjah a punishment for carrying drugs ranges from four years to life imprisonment. Meanwhile, a day after Pereira was released on bail from Sharjah jail, she tweeted about the time she spent in jail. She said she washed her hair with washing powder and made coffee using toilet water.
Immediately after her tweets were reported by the media, on Friday, she deleted those posts after being told by her well-wishers that she has been released on bail, her case is still pending and her passport is with the Sharjah authorities.
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Actress voluntarily reported to authorities that she had been duped, she was eventually found to be truthful
Faizan Khan (MID-DAY; April 29, 2023)
Officials in Sharjah, who have been coordinating with the Mumbai Crime Branch, have identified certain critical factors that aided in actress Chrisann Pereira's early release from prison. One of them was the case filed by the crime branch and the subsequent arrest of the accused individuals.
“The confession of the accused proved that Pereira was duped under the guise of being offered a role in an international web series,” said an officer. The second aspect was her voluntarily reporting to the authorities that she had been duped after arriving in Sharjah on April 1, although she was subsequently arrested after ganja and opium were discovered in her possession.
Upon further investigation, Sharjah police officials checked the CCTV footage of the Sharjah airport and found that Pereira had discarded the trophy in a dustbin and left the airport. “As specific information about her was not provided, the authorities did not frisk her upon arrival in Sharjah. They discovered that she had returned to the airport after speaking with her family, retrieved the trophy from the dustbin and informed the authorities. This worked in her favour because no criminal returns and voluntarily informs the authorities,” added an officer.
The Pereira family recently met with Joint Commissioner of Crime Lakhmi Gautam, who played a key role in securing Chrisann Pereira's early release. Additionally, the Mumbai Crime Branch has recorded a statement from Clayton Rodrigues's wife, who has been incarcerated in Sharjah Jail since February after falling victim to the scheme of the accused, Anthony Paul.
“We are currently evaluating Rodrigues’s case and translating all the relevant documents from Arabic to English. Once completed, we will submit our full investigative report to the Sharjah authorities to assist in his case,” stated a senior Mumbai police officer.
Upon investigation, officials discovered that Clayton Rodrigues had been in possession of a commercial quantity of drugs in Sharjah. The drugs were found concealed within a cake given to him by the accused. Additionally, a chit was found that contained a message stating that the accused had more ganja.
I washed hair with detergent, made coffee using toilet water-Chrisann Pereira
8:30 AM
The actress, who was framed in a drug case in Sharjah, pens a note after her release from jail
BOMBAY TIMES (April 28, 2023)
Actress Chrisann Pereira, who was arrested at Sharjah airport for carrying drugs that were planted in a trophy on April 1, was released from Sharjah jail on Wednesday. Yesterday, she shared a note in which she wrote that it took her three weeks and five days to get a pen and paper in jail. Talking about her life there, the Sadak 2 actress said, “After I wash my hair with Tide and make my coffee with toilet water, I watch Bollywood movies sometimes with tears in my eyes knowing my ambition brought me here and sometimes I smile at our culture, music and the familiar faces on TV. I feel proud to be an Indian and belong to the India film industry.”
The family’s fight to get Chrisann out of jail gathered momentum after Chrisann’s brother Kevin took to social media to explain how she was a victim of a conspiracy. On investigation, the city Crime Branch discovered that the actress was framed in a bid to seek revenge. The police arrested Anthony Paul and Rajesh Bobhate (also known as Ravi), who have been remanded to police custody till May 2.
Thanking her supporters, Chrisann went on to add, “Mom, dad, Kevin, my relatives, Indian and UAE police officials, churches, media and all those who believed in my innocence — you give me hope. You are the real warriors whilst I am just a pawn in this dirty game played by these monsters. I am forever grateful to every person who tweeted and reshared my story to arrest the real criminals facilitating international organised crime. We are a great powerful nation, and I cannot wait to return home. Thank you for saving my life and the other innocent lives that fell prey to this scam. May justice always prevail. ”
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CHRISANN’S RELEASE HAS GIVEN US A FEELING OF LOVE, UNITY AND SUPPORT FOR JUSTICE, SAYS HER MOTHER
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; April 28, 2023)
Chrisann’s brother, Kevin, shared a video of his mom Premila Pereira heaving a sigh of relief as she spoke to her daughter. Premila expressed that her only concern was to get her daughter back.
“Without the crime branch unit 10 we would have never been able to file an FIR. I am extremely thankful to them. At one point, it seemed impossible but everything is possible with God, our Indian citizens and people all over the world praying for our daughter. It has given us a feeling of love, unity and support for justice. I want to thank each and every person who prayed for Chrisann and us,” she said.
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Nitasha Natu (THE TIMES OF INDIA; April 28, 2023)
Mumbai: Describing the harrowing time she spent in a Sharjah prison after being framed in a drug case, actor Chrisann Pereira said, in a note, that she used detergent for washing her hair and toilet water for making coffee. Pereira was in prison for a little less than a month until she was released on Wednesday. Her note was shared on social media by her brother Kevin. He also posted that the family doesn’t have an exact idea when she will be back on Indian soil after completing legal processes and signing of papers.
Chrisann was jailed on April 2 after bakery owner Anthony Paul allegedly framed her in a narcotics case to get back at her mother over a dispute. Paul has been arrested by the crime branch along with his associate Rajesh Bhobhate, also known as Ravi.
Calling her supporters “warriors” in her note, Chrisann thanked them for saving her life. “Dear Warriors, it took me three weeks and five days to find a pen and paper in jail. After I wash my hair with Tide and make my coffee from toilet water, I watch Bollywood movies, sometimes with tears in my eyes knowing that my ambition brought me here. Sometimes I smile at our culture, music and the familiar faces on the TV. I feel proud to be an Indian and belong to the Indian film industry,” she wrote.
“Mom, dad, Kevin, my relatives, friends, Indian and UAE police officials, churches, media and those who believed in my innocence-you give me hope. You are the real warriors whilst I’m just a pawn in this dirty game played by these monsters. I’m forever grateful to every person who tweeted and reshared my story to arrest the real criminals facilitating international organized crime. We are a great, powerful nation and I cannot wait to return home. Thank you for saving my life and the other innocent lives that fell prey to this scam. May justice always prevail.”
She signed off the note with, “Love, Chrisy.”
After Chrisann’s detention, her family ran from pillar to post trying to speak to her and find out about the charges against her. In a letter to MLA Gopal Shetty on April 8 seeking his intervention, Chrisann’s parents mentioned that they had been to MHB Colony police and met two deputy commissioners, but no investigation was initiated against Ravi. The family had shared evidence in the form of WhatsApp messages sent to Chrisann by Ravi and a video clip of his meeting with her.
On Thursday, Paul’s bakery, Our Daily Bread, at Borivli’s IC Colony functioned as usual. The staff said the bakery had opened last year and Paul would often sit on a stool inside the premises. They said they were shocked on hearing about his arrest from the newspapers, but it did not have any impact on the shop. They did not seem to be aware of the controversy over the shop’s name which was “borrowed” from a popular bakery in Mira Road.
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HINDUSTAN TIMES (April 28, 2023)
Actor Chrisann Pereira, who was framed in a drug smuggling case and jailed in Sharjah (UAE), has been released after a month. She took to Instagram to share a letter with details of the ordeal she faced. “Dear Warriors, it took me three weeks and five days to find a pen and paper in jail. After I washed my hair with Tide (washing detergent) and made coffee using toilet water, I watched Bollywood movies, sometimes with tears in my eyes, knowing my ambition brought me here. I sometimes smile at our culture, our movies and the familiar faces on TV. I feel proud to be an Indian and belong to the Indian film industry,” she wrote.
The Sadak 2 (2020) actor went on to thank her family, friends and those who believed in her innocence, for keeping her hopes alive to get free. “You are the real warriors, while I am just a pawn in this dirty game played by these ‘Mansters’. I am forever grateful to everyone who tweeted and reshared my story. I cannot wait to return home,” she continued, and ended the letter by saying, “Thank you for saving my life and the lives of other innocent people who fell prey to this scam. May justice always prevail.”
The 27-year-old had been framed by Mumbai-based bakery owner Anthony Paul with the help of an accomplice, Rajesh Borate, out of vengeance. The two have been arrested by Mumbai Police.
Sharjah Jail releases Chrisann Pereira; Indian authorities sent them details about how the actress was framed
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Chrisann in a video call shared on Instagram by her brother Kevin
Faizan Khan (MID-DAY; April 27, 2023)
The Sharjah Jail authorities have released actress Chrisann Pereira, after receiving details from the Mumbai Crime Branch and Indian authorities about how she was framed on the pretext of a role in an international web series, and made a drug mule. Her family confirmed to mid-day on Wednesday that she has been released from prison, and is on her way to Dubai to complete the formalities to get her passport back and within 48 hours will be in Mumbai.
According to Premila, Chrisann’s mother, “At around 5:30 pm on Wednesday, she spoke to her father and brother and said that she had been released. She was happy that the trauma she had been going through was coming to an end.”
In a video call shared on Instagram by Chrisann’s brother, she said, “Yes, I am coming.” Kevin, Chrisann’s brother, expressed his gratitude towards everyone who helped them in the case, especially the Mumbai Crime Branch for taking immediate action against the culprits. Chrisann had been jailed since April 1 after a drug was found in the trophy handed to her by Rajesh Bubhate, also known as Ravi, one of two persons who had framed her.
Ravi was hired by mastermind Anthony Paul, the brother of Chrisann’s neighbour. Paul sought revenge against Chrisann’s mother for having arguments with his sister during lockdown over COVID-19 guidelines and pet issues in the society. The case was investigated by Deepak Sawant, Sr. PI Unit 10 and led by Joint commissioner Crime Lakhmi Gautam and DCP (Detection 1) Krishnakant Upadhyay.
The family of Clayton Rodrigues (a Mumbai-based DJ) is still awaiting confirmation of his release. Clayton has been in jail since February 5, and the accused Ravi had approached him as Prasad Rao. Clayton was told that he was a co-investor in Buddha Bar in Dubai.
“He told Clayton that his bosses liked his music and wanted to offer him a demo to play at Buddha Bar in Dubai,” said Falyn, Clayton’s wife. He was asked to fly to Dubai on February 5. Ravi told him that he would accompany him, but canceled at the last moment and asked Clayton to take a parcel for his bosses. Clayton took the parcel that had a cake laced with drugs and was arrested in Sharjah.
We are eagerly waiting for Chrisann Pereira to return home, but don’t know how long that will take, says her family
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Sadak 2 actress Chrisann Pereira was arrested in Sharjah for drug possession. It has been proven now that she was framed, but the family is still anxious about her safety
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; April 27, 2023)
The arrest of 27-year-old actress Chrisann Pereira at Sharjah airport for carrying drugs (10 gms) hidden in a trophy on April 1 turned the world upside down for her family back home in Mumbai. They felt helpless as she was locked up in Sharjah Central Jail, and they could communicate with her only after 16 days. However, the recent arrest of Anthony Paul (a baker) and Rajesh Bubhate alias Ravi (a banker) – who have been charged with planting drugs on Chrisann — by Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch has brought much-needed relief to her family comprising father (Mark Pereira), mother (Premila Pereira) and older brother (Kevin Pereira).
‘WE SMILED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THREE WEEKS’
The family is now eagerly waiting for Chrisann to return home. The actress’s brother, Kevin tells us, “This is the first time in three weeks that there is a smile on our faces. I can’t describe the relief that we are feeling now that the culprits who framed my sister have been caught. We are eagerly waiting for her to return, but we have no idea when that will happen; it could be weeks or even months. We want the Indian authorities to convince their counterparts in Sharjah to release her. We are confident that the Mumbai Crime Branch will catch the entire gang, as it’s unlikely that only two or three people are involved in this illegal operation.”
The past three weeks have been a nightmare for the Pereiras. Kevin says, “We were praying for my sister’s safety because initially we couldn’t establish contact with her. The laws in the UAE are strict. We were anxious about her sentence, wondering whether it would be a harsh punishment or even a death sentence. We didn’t know which jail she was put in. We were desperate and frightened, but we managed to hire a lawyer there in the first week, which cost us a lot of money. We were even willing to mortgage our home to ensure we had enough funds if any fine was imposed.”
‘I BELIEVE THERE IS MORE TO THE CASE’
Kevin grew suspicious of Anthony Paul immediately after his sister’s arrest and started gathering evidence against him. He says, “Anthony told the city Crime Branch about a fight between my mother and his sister over a stray dog that my mom tried to save from being beaten up by him. It happened about a year ago. We didn’t think of this angle, as we couldn’t imagine someone could be so malicious. However, I believe there is more to this case.”
Narrating what happened, Kevin says, “Ravi (Rajesh Bubhate), who posed as a talent agent, sent a message to my mother regarding an audition in Sharjah for an international series on March 23. She passed on the message to Chrisann and that’s how everything began. He called her for an urgent meeting on the day of her flight and gave her the trophy. After landing in Sharjah, she passed the security check and came out of the airport to realise that no cab or hotel room was booked in her name, and the messages from Ravi had been deleted. She returned inside and called to inform us that she could have been scammed and told us about the trophy. She left it inside the dustbin in the washroom. Since I have worked in the airline industry, I told her to report to the airport authorities suspecting a security threat. She reported to the police and also told them about the trophy. She was then arrested.”
He adds, “Anthony, who has known my mother and sister, pretended to help. On the day of the arrest itself, he claimed that he had obtained details about the drugs that were planted on my sister through a contact in Sharjah. While we are yet to receive information about this from the Sharjah authorities. Besides, trying to stop us from approaching the police, he asked my mother for Rs 80 lakh for my sister’s release. However, we refused to pay as we knew she was innocent. He even dissuaded me from posting about our ordeal on social media, but I went ahead and did it. After reading my post, a family approached me with a similar case. It turned out they knew Anthony. This confirmed my suspicions, and I was certain he was involved.
‘DURING OUR PHONE CONVERSATION WITH CHRISANN, WE ALL CRIED’
The family first connected with Chrisann 16 days after her arrest. “She managed to borrow some local currency from her jail inmates to call us. During the conversation, we all cried, and she kept telling us that she was framed. We always knew of her innocence and were trying hard to get support here. Now all we want is for her to return home safely,” he says.
Chrisann Pereira is hopeful she will be able to return home soon, says her family
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The arrested accused were remanded in the custody of Unit 10 of the Mumbai Crime Branch until May 2. Pics/Shadab Khan
The family of the actress arrested after being conned into being a drugs mule by a person who sought to settle a score, has managed to tell her of his and his associate’s arrest in the matter
Faizan Khan (MID-DAY; April 26, 2023)
The family of actress Chrisann Pereira, who has been imprisoned in Sharjah Central Jail after being used as a drug mule, has managed to inform her that the two individuals who conned her, have been arrested. "She is now feeling relaxed and hopeful that she will be able to return home soon," said her brother Kevin.
The family said that they spoke to Chrisann on the phone with the assistance of their legal team in Sharjah. They are hopeful that she will be released soon, pending action by the Ministry of External Affairs through the Indian embassy, to approach the court.
"We cannot describe the trauma my sister has gone through. For the first 17 days, we had no contact with her. Later, she borrowed money from inmates to contact us. She has no money to even buy soap for herself. But now she is happy that the culprits have been caught," Kevin added.
The family was also concerned that since news of the drug smuggling case emerged, people would assume that Chrisann was involved in drugs. "With the arrest of the accused by the crime branch, the true story will be revealed," Kevin said.
The Killa court on Tuesday remanded the accused Anthony Paul and Rajesh Bubhate, alias Ravi, in the custody of Unit 10 of the Mumbai Crime Branch until May 2. The duo were arrested by the Crime Branch on Monday for allegedly deceiving Chrisann on the pretext of getting her a role in an international web series.
The Crime Branch has told the court that the accused had used similar tactics to trap four more individuals, and one of them, identified as Clayton Rodricks, has also been in Sharjah Jail for the past few months. The city Crime Branch has told the court that they are investigating the drug angle in the case, to ascertain how the drug that was given to the victims in trophies and cakes, was procured.
Officials also told the court that the accused used multiple SIM cards to trap all the victims, and they are trying to find how they were procured. After completing the primary investigation, the officials are going to send a dossier to the UAE to support the Pereira and Rodricks case before the Sharjah authorities, and ensure that the duo are sent back to India.
The Mumbai crime branch has also found that Paul had demanded money from Chrisann’s mother Premila to help her get out of the jail. A crime branch officer said, “After Chrisann was caught at the Sharjah airport, Paul told her mother Premila that he had contacts in UAE with advocates, the police and judges and he would get her daughter released, but she would have to pay Rs 80 lakh to be given as bribes in UAE.”
Premila refused to give him the money and Paul approached Chrisann’s father about the same but he also refused. “We are looking into every element that could be involved in this case, including how the drugs were obtained and whether there is any connection to a syndicate,” said Lakhmi Gautam, joint commissioner, Crime.
Inputs from Shirish Vaktania
Sadak 2 actress Chrisann Pereira held for drug smuggling in UAE, kin and Crime Branch say she was scammed
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The trophy whose picture she sent to her family before she approached the police at Sharjah airport. Chrisann Pereira was told to carry the trophy with her as she would have to use it in the audition; (right) Chrisann Pereira
27-year-old’s family alleges she was made to carry trophy on Sharjah-bound flight by fraudster, claim Indian authorities not helping
Faizan Khan (MID-DAY; April 18, 2023)
Actress Chrisann Pereira, who appeared in the films Sadak 2 and Batla House, has been arrested in the UAE for alleged drug smuggling. She is currently being held at Sharjah Central Jail. According to her family, she was deceived on the pretext of being offered a role in an international web-series. “We have been seeking help from the authorities, but they are not listening. The city police have not even registered our complaint or listened to our concerns,” said Kevin Pereira, the actress’s brother.
According to the family, the scam began when Chrisann’s mother Premila Pereira received a message from someone who identified himself as Ravi, who claimed that he had met her for real estate work and offered to introduce Chrisann, 27, to his ‘Talent Pool’ team. He asked if Chrisann was available to meet for an interview for an upcoming international web-series at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai Hotel & Residences at Santacruz East at 1.30 pm on March 25.
“He said the audition would take a day and that he would make all arrangements for her stay and travel. Chrisann went for the audition. She was then informed she had to fly to Dubai on April 1. Since her passport was expiring on April 10, he hurried the process and booked a flight (Air Arabia G9 G9402) to Sharjah instead of Dubai and also claimed that he had booked her return ticket for April 3,” Kevin, Chrisann’s brother, stated.
As per the family, before taking the flight to Sharjah, ‘Ravi’ called her to the Westin Mumbai Garden City at Goregaon and then changed the venue to a coffee shop that is 10 minutes away from the Mumbai International Airport (T2). At the meeting, ‘Ravi’ handed over a trophy to her, claiming that it was part of the audition script and would be required for the audition. Accordingly, she carried the trophy with her and travelled from T2 to Sharjah.
“On landing, she turned on her mobile phone to inform us that she had landed safely on the family WhatsApp group. She immediately started to check the WhatsApp messages that were sent earlier by Ravi. To her surprise, all the chats had disappeared via the disappearing messages feature. Thereafter, she called the hotel to confirm the booking and the pick-up. The hotel informed her that there was no such booking in her name,” Kevin said.
“Then she felt that she was being framed by Ravi, who had handed over the trophy to her. Immediately, she called me and my father, Mark Pereira, in Mumbai and informed us about the situation and the trophy. I told her to inform the airport police immediately, although she booked the next flight to India, which was at 9.30 am local time,” Kevin added.
The family said that when she went to meet the cops, her phone battery was at three per cent. As she was talking to the authorities, informing them about the scam, she cut the call, saying that the phone was about to die. “Thereafter, we have not heard from her. We approached the Mumbai police station in our jurisdiction and lodged a complaint that she is not contactable and was supposed to return on April 3,” Kevin told mid-day.
Later, the family was informed via email by the Consulate General of India (CGI) that she had been arrested and put in Sharjah Central Jail, and on April 10, the family was informed by the Consulate that Chrisann had been charged with drugs found in the trophy handed over to her by Ravi.
“We went to various police stations, and everyone is saying that it is not in their jurisdiction and not even taking our complaint to interrogate Ravi,” Kevin said. The anxious family has hired a personal lawyer in Dubai to deal with the case and also seeking help from the ministry of external affairs (MEA). However, they say they have not received any help from the Indian authorities.
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Sadak 2 actress jailed in Sharjah when drugs were found in trophy she was flying with, was framed, says Crime Branch after arresting IC Colony resident who planted drugs on her to settle score following a fight between her mother, his sister
Faizan Khan (MID-DAY; April 25, 2023)
How far would someone go to exact revenge? The Mumbai police have found a man who tried to con three people into carrying a trophy with drugs in it, and two people with drugs laden cakes, to Dubai, to settle scores. Sadly, two of the people were trapped in this evil scheme while three escaped. The Mumbai police’s investigations into the recent arrest of an actress caught at Sharjah airport for smuggling drugs in a trophy have led them to the man and his associate who have been arrested.
The Mumbai Crime Branch arrested two individuals in connection with actress Chrisann Pereira’s, 27 case. Pereira was allegedly deceived by the accused who promised her a role in an international web series and sent her to Dubai ‘for an audition' after multiple meetings in Mumbai. They gave her a trophy which they said had to be used in the audition. The authorities later discovered it contained drugs. As a result, she was arrested by the Sharjah Airport police and has been in Sharjah Central Jail since April 1.
During the investigation, authorities discovered that four other individuals had fallen victim to the accused's deception, which was apparently motivated by a desire for revenge. Three of the victims returned from Dubai, while two, including Pereira, were arrested by the authorities in Sharjah. The accused used similar tactics to lure the five victims.
The two accused have been identified as Anthony Paul, 35, from IC Colony Borivli, and Rajesh Bubhate, 35, also known as Ravi. Paul owns a bakery at Malad and Ravi is an assistant manager in a reputed bank.
A personal grudge
Paul is the mastermind and had a personal grudge against Pereira's mother, Premila. The police said Premila had a disagreement with Paul’s sister, a neighbour, during the COVID-19 pandemic over non-compliance with guidelines and pet-related issues in their society. As a dog lover, Pereira's mother's stance was not well-received by Paul’s sister, and he also got into a fight with Pereira during a visit to the society.
During the investigation, it was discovered that Paul sought revenge against Premila by using Ravi to deceive her daughter, by sending her to Dubai as a drugs mule. When Pereira arrived at the Sharjah airport, she realized that no hotel booking had been made in her name. She informed her family about the trophy she had been given at the Mumbai airport by Ravi. She also sent them a picture of it. Pereira’s brother, Kevin, advised her to inform the Sharjah authorities that she had been scammed, but instead, they arrested her for smuggling drugs into the UAE.
The same tactic
According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, Paul had previously used the same tactic on: Ken Rodricks, Clayton Rodricks, Munisha and Rishikesh Pandya. All were promised roles or work with international web series, and traveled to Dubai, only to discover upon landing at Sharjah airport that no hotel booking had been made in their names. Rodricks was also given a trophy containing drugs at the Mumbai airport, but he dumped it at the Sharjah airport and returned home. Pandya had refused to carry the trophy given to him, which was later given to Pereira.
Clayton, a DJ, was given a cake a laced with drugs and arrested by Sharjah airport authorities. Munisha, a dress designer, also received a drugs laced cake but realized she had been scammed and dumped it at Sharjah before returning home. Clayton and Pereira were both arrested after informing the authorities about the scam.
“As of now, we do not see a syndicate. The accused did this to seek revenge against all the victims because he had problems with each of them,” an officer of the Mumbai Crime Branch stated.
Lakhmi Gautam, joint commissioner of police (Crime), stated that a case had been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, and the matter is under investigation.
The crime branch has booked the accused for cheating, forgery as well as under section 23 (Punishment for illegal import in to India, export from India or transhipment of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances) 24 (punishment for external dealings in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in contravention of section 12) of NDPS act. The officials are coordinating with their counterparts through legal channels to get Pereira and Clayton back to India.
Chrisann and her brother Kevin Pereira
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