A public service ad on cervical cancer starring actor Sharib Hashmi from two years ago began trending again following model-actor Poonam Pandey’s death hoax recently.

“I thought I should just let my ad do the talking. I felt this was the perfect time to reshare the video. It’s great that people are liking it,” says the writer-actor, pointing out that there’s always a correct way to spread awareness for a cause.

The Family Man actor agrees that sometimes, the intention is right, but the way people spread awareness for a cause is incorrect. “That’s when, more than anger, I felt uneasiness and pity,” notes the 48-year-old about the stunt that saw Pandey put out an Instagram post on Friday, announcing her death from cervical cancer.

The actor, who has featured in The Great Indian Murder and Asur, goes on to reveal that he did the ad for his wife Nasreen, who is an oral cancer survivor: “I did this ad for her. She was diagnosed in 2018. Though it relapsed four times, she’s been cancer-free since April 2022. She’s a very strong woman.”

Hashmi says that while nobody needs a reason to support a cause, like he did — better discretion on social media is the need of the hour. “Celebs who have a huge following also have a bigger responsibility. They must use social media wisely for this purpose,” he explains, adding, “If I’m connecting with the cause and people associated with the advertisement, I always agree to do it.”

Mumbai/New Delhi: MSD, the Indian affiliate of US drug giant Merck, has terminated its association with Schbang, the creative marketing solutions agency that was involved in the controversial publicity stunt by model and influencer Poonam Pandey in which she faked her own death.

After her team announced that Pandey had died due to cervical cancer, she re-emerged live in a video clip saying it was an awareness campaign for prevention of the disease that affects thousands of women in India. The stunt, however, backfired and Pandey was widely accused of insensitivity towards patients who face such a life-threatening condition.

Schbang in a social media post had admitted to carrying out the stunt in collaboration with Pandey and media outlet Hauterfly, and issued an apology.

That clearly wasn’t enough to repair ties with MSD, which sells Gardasil vaccine against some strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) that causes cervical cancer.

The PR activity by Pandey and Schbang to raise awareness about cervical cancer “is not associated with MSD in any way or form,” an MSD spokesperson told ET. “Following this incident, on the grounds of conflict of interest, we have terminated the service contract with Schbang.”

MSD’s action comes after some social media posts alleged that the company was involved in the publicity stunt.

In a LinkedIn post on February 6, venture capitalist Mahesh Murthy associated Schbang with Poonam Pandey and MSD’s HPV vaccine, and shared a link saying the awareness campaign had garnered over 43 million views on YouTube and was shared by many influencers.

Gardasil is being sold in India since 2008. Gardasil 9, which targets nine HPV variants, is priced at Rs 10,850 per dose, while the quadrivalent Gardasil is available for Rs 4,000 per dose.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research National Cancer Registry Programme (ICMR-NCRP), the estimated number of cervical cancer cases in the country in 2023 was more than 340,000, the government informed parliament on February 2.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her interim budget speech, had announced the government’s decision to encourage HPV vaccines for girls aged 9-14.

Last year, Pune-based Serum Institute of India launched an indigenously developed HPV vaccine Cervavac, while British drugmaker GSK discontinued selling its HPV vaccine brand Cervarix in India in 2022.

Raj Kundra, entrepreneur and husband of actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra, was granted relief in the pornography case on Tuesday. The Supreme Court granted him and four others anticipatory bail in the case. Others who were granted relief by the apex court include actors Sherlyn Chopra and Poonam Pandey. An FIR was filed against the five for allegedly distributing pornographic videos.

On Tuesday, a bench of Justices K M Joseph and B V Nagarathna also directed all the accused to cooperate in the investigation. “Having heard the counsel for the parties, we are of the view that the petitioners may be granted anticipatory bail,” the bench said.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had granted Kundra interim protection from arrest in the case. He was arrested in July 2021, after an FIR was registered against Raj and four others by a woman who approached the police and made certain allegations. The case was transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch. Raj was booked under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating), 292 and 293 (related to obscene and indecent advertisements and displays) and sections of the Information Technology Act and Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act. The report also named Sherlyn Chopra and Poonam Pandey as co-accused.

Kundra was released on bail later in the year. His lawyers claimed that he was in no way connected to content creation, publication or transmission of alleged illegal videos.

Since his bail, Kundra has kept a low profile and only appears in public wearing full face masks. In September, he reacted to the case with a social media post. Sharing a picture of himself, Raj captioned the post, “One Year Today released from #ArthurRoad Its a matter of time Justice will be served! The truth will be out soon!”

Mumbai: Businessman Raj Kundra, model Sherlyn Chopra, Poonam Pandey and film producer Meeta Jhunjhunwala and cameraman connived with each other shot obscene/porn videos in two five star hotels in the suburbs and circulated the content on various OTT platform for financial consideration, says a chargesheet by Maharashtra Cyber police on Friday.

Police said that Kundra, director of Armsprime Media limited was involved in production and distribution of pornographic videos.

In 2019, the cyber police had registered an offence under section 292 (sale of obscene material) and under Information Technology Act against unknown persons after a Custom and Central excise officer lodged a complaint that some websites were uploading obscene content on the internet.

The police on Friday submitted a 450-page chargesheet against models Sherlyn Chopra, Poonam Pandey, cameraman Raju Dubey, Jhunjhunwala, Banana prime OTT director Suvajit Choudhary, Kundra of Armsprime Media Private Limited and his employee Umesh Kamat.

In the chargesheet, police have named Poonam Pandey, Sherlyn Chopra’s obscene videos were found uploaded/ released on various OTT platforms . Suvajit Choudhary, director of Banana Prime - the OTT platform is accused of producing web series Prem Paglami containing porn content and uploading on his OTT, the chargesheet said.

In the chargesheet, police have stated that Poonam Pandey (39), with help of Kundra's company, developed her own mobile app and got her obscene videos shot in five star hotels in suburbs and got them uploaded and circulated. It states that accused cameraman Raju Dubey shot the videos of Chopra, knowing that it amounts to crime.

Film writer and producer Meeta Jhunjhunawala, business head and celebrity management of Arms Prime, had aided and abetted in directing and scripting stories for Chopra. Similarly, model Poonam Pandey made a business agreement with Armsprime and made her own mobile app ‘The Poonam Pandey’ and uploaded obscene content on the OTT platform.

“Of all these, Armsprime company got financial benefits from all these accused and hence the company has aided and abetted in the crime,” the chargesheet said.

Police are looking for few models who worked in porn films/web series but have gone underground since the case was registered.

Police have also chargesheeted Umesh Kamat who was manager for the London based company-Hotshot, owned by Kundra's brother-in-law Pradeep Bakshi’s company Kenrin, registered in the United Kingdom.

Two days after businessman Raj Kundra was arrested for allegedly making pornographic content and publishing it through mobile apps, and was subsequently sent to police custody till July 23, model-actress Poonam Pandey released videos sharing her experience of her brief association with him and his company, Armsprime.

On February 8 last year, Bombay Times had reported that Poonam Pandey had filed a criminal case against Raj Kundra and his associates for fraud, theft, and leaking her phone numbers. She recorded her statement on December 7, 2019, at Bandra police station. Since they refused to lodge an FIR against Raj Kundra and his team, she moved Bombay High Court.

Poonam filed a writ petition — a criminal case — against Raj Kundra, and his associate Saurabh Kushwah. While Poonam’s legal battle continues, the latest turn of events regarding Raj Kundra’s alleged involvement in a pornography-related case has brought new facts to the fore.

In response to Poonam's allegations, in February last year, Raj had told BT, “I had invested in a company called Armsprime Media last year, which makes apps for celebrities. I am not aware of the petition as I exited the venture in December 2019 with a sale to the current shareholders.”

In a chat with Bombay Times yesterday, Poonam shared, “I remember writing emails to those associated with Armsprime (a company that created apps for celebrities), including Raj Kundra, regarding the theft of my content and invading my personal space just to make a few bucks. That was unacceptable. I had written them emails to stop using my content on their app even after I terminated my contract with them. I told them specifically that what they were doing amounted to fraud and theft. The reply I got from them was that we welcome your legal action, and this reply was from Raj Kundra himself.”

She further added, “When I signed an MOU with them, which lasted for a month, it became clear that they were cheating and were extremely unprofessional. I terminated my contract with immediate effect. Getting into a professional collaboration with these people was the biggest mistake I made in my life. They are frauds. My life became an open book. I went through another level of trauma. I cursed myself for sharing my passwords and credentials with their team. When we reached out to Raj’s team, we were told that we won’t be paid until I signed a contract with them and started working with them again. I flatly refused. How could I do it knowing that these guys hacked into my accounts and personal space? Yeh log samajhte kya hain khud ko? He couldn’t convince me because he knew that I wasn’t relying on just his app for work. In fact, I wanted to terminate any and all association with Armsprime. I wanted the app they had created in my name, taken off the internet. Shortly after, I was approached by Raj Kundra personally to be a part of another app — by the name of ‘HotShots’. It was 100% pure blackmail. It was like — Do this or suffer the consequences. On my refusal, my private mobile numbers were leaked on the internet on the aforementioned app.”

Poonam said that Raj exited the venture (Armsprime) around the same time when she approached the Mumbai Police regarding the matter. She says, “I approached the police to file a complaint against the company for leaking my phone numbers with a message ‘Call me and I will strip for you’, and they told me that they would have to investigate. I don’t know what happened there and later, I came to know that he had backed out from the company around the same time when I was trying to lodge a complaint against him and his associates. Even if that’s true, the theft of data took place before he resigned from the company. Court case wahaan par bana unke against. That’s why the Bombay High Court took the matter very seriously. I had all the proof to substantiate my claims.”

She continued, “Back then I thought that I had screwed up by sharing my credentials with them. However, today it’s obvious that these guys cheat people. Jo bhi hai, jaisa bhi ho raha hai and the way things are moving, it’s for everyone to see.”

She also said that if someone like her can be harassed to this extent, she can sympathise with the plight of other lesser-known girls. She said, “I have seen videos of certain girls and I am told that they are retracting from what they said about him earlier. I understand their predicament. If this guy can do this to me, I can understand what these girls must be going through.”

Following his arrest for alleged involvement in a pornography case, businessman Raj Kundra has been sent to police custody till July 23.

The case is about him luring in aspiring actors and models with a promise to give them a break, and then allegedly forcing women into porn.

It all started in 2019 when the 45-year-old invested in a tech start-up Armsprime Media. They went on to sign Poonam Pandey, Gehana Vasisth and Sherlyn Chopra. Soon, Pandey filed a case against Kundra for theft and Kundra said he is not an investor anymore.

This year, his name cropped up again in connection with the company, leading to his arrest. Vasisth was also arrested in the same case and is out on bail. Her publicist released a statement on her behalf saying, “Police should investigate fully as there are more skeletons in the cupboards of the rich.”

Pandey shares that all her sympathies are with Shilpa and her kids. “I can’t imagine what she must be going through. So, I refuse to use this opportunity to highlight my trauma. The only thing I’ll add is that I had filed a complaint against him and the matter is sub judice,” she said.

Moreover, in a video uploaded by actor-model Sagarika Shona Suman in February, she alleged that she was asked to give her audition via video call where three people, one of them allegedly Kundra, demanded a nude audition from her. Actor Shruti Gera says she was approached in 2018 by a casting director who said Kundra would meet her to discuss his web show. “To imagine that someone like Raj Kundra, Shilpa Shetty’s husband would be doing this. People like him exploit the vulnerability of young females around.”

A college-drop out, Raj Kundra considers his father to be his role model. The latter worked as a bus conductor in London before running small businesses including grocery, post offices and drug stores.

After turning 18, he went to Dubai and later Nepal, from where he sourced pashmina shawls which he sold to famous fashion houses in Britain including Christian Dior and Josephs. He made €20 million in the first year.

Later, he went into diamond trading in Dubai, dabbled in precious metals, construction, mining, green renewable energy projects and financed Hindi films.

A year after his divorce with his first wife Kavita, he met Shilpa Shetty. They got married in 2009.

Raj Kundra’s ex-wife had accused Shilpa Shetty of breaking up their marriage. She claimed her husband had become obsessed with Shilpa and they had started an affair. Recently, he talked about his relationship with Kavita and alleged that she had an affair with his former brother-in-law.

Raj Kundra was also involved in the IPL betting scandal in 2013, and was banned for life from cricket activities. His team Rajasthan Royals was banned for two years.

The home shopping portal owned by him had shut shop all of a sudden in December 2016. While the company cited demagnetization as the reason, vendors said production was stopped almost a week before the note ban announcement. They alleged that the company has defaulted on payments since the beginning of 2016.

In 2018, Enforcement Directorate questioned Kundra in connection with the Gain Bitcoin case where more than 8,000 people were duped of ₹2,000 crore.

Last year, Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra were named in an another scam concerning a gold trading company of which they are ex-directors.

The case was registered on February 4, 2021 at the Malwani police station, after a property cell official raided a bungalow in Madh, Malad (West), and arrested five individuals for their alleged involvement in forcing young men and women to act in pornographic films. The videos were being uploaded on mobile apps and porn websites. Initially, the police had arrested Rowa Khan alias Yasmeen who claimed to be a producer-director, photographer Monu Sharma, and creative director Pratibha Nalawade and two actors, Arish Shaikh and Bhanu Thakur.

“The law will take its course. We have full faith in Mumbai Police, which is doing a good job. The courts will eventually decide during trial as to who are the real culprits and which accused were merely used by others. I don’t want to comment anymore, as I am on bail in the same cases and I do not want to prejudice or impair my right to my personal defence,” said Gehana Vasisth on Monday. Vasisth, who was arrested for allegedly shooting the ‘pornographic and obscene’ videos uploaded by Kundra’s former employee, has been released on bail. On Tuesday, she issued another comment — “None of the films are porn films. Those are just bold films as other producers like Ekta Kapoor, Anurag Kashyap, Vibhu Agarwal and many others make. Other apps like Netflix and Amazon have bolder content than this. One needs to understand the difference between erotica and porn. I will request people to watch those films and only then comment. Police has just misinterpreted.”

“At this moment my heart goes out to Shilpa Shetty and her kids. I can’t imagine what she must be going through. So, I refuse to use this opportunity to highlight my trauma. The only thing I’ll add is that I had filed a police complaint in 2019 against Raj Kundra and subsequently registered a case at the honourable high court of Bombay against him for fraud and theft. This matter is sub judice, hence I would prefer to limit my statements. Also, I have full faith in our police and the judicial process,” said Poonam Pandey. Pandey had a contract with Kundra’s firm, that dealt with different apps, including Pandey’s adult app. She states that Kundra’s firm used her movies and footage illegally even after their contract was terminated.

Previously, the property cell had arrested Umesh Kamat, a man who had apparently claimed in his statement that he used to work for Raj Kundra’s company. Kamat’s name had surfaced during an interrogation surrounding actress-model Gehana Vasisth’s arrest on February 6, 2021. Kamath used to work for a UK-based firm as a coordinator and would take videos from Vasisth, and send them to the same firm that later uploaded them on an app, reportedly called HotShots. The former employee of Kundra was accused of uploading at least eight “pornographic and obscene” videos shot by Vasisth, reportedly from Kundra’s office. In the course of the hearings, it came to light that though Kundra claims to have sold the HotShots app to one of the wanted accused, Pradeep Bakshi (the proprieter of UKbased company Kenrin), it is claimed that he was regularly taking updates about financial dealings of this app.

Kundra had also made a Whatsapp group of which he was the admin, where he used to discuss distribution and financial transactions related to the clips of HotShots. Vasisth and Kamat would write stories for the HotShots app clips and the mails sent with the story to others were also marked to Raj Kundra. Police suspect Raj Kundra has a stake in Kenrin. Reportedly, Kundra is a relative of Pradeep Bakshi who lives in the UK. Besides being his relative and the chairman of this company, Bakshi is also Kundra’s business partner.

The 45-year-old was taken into custody by the Crime Branch after being booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Information Technology (IT) Act. Kundra has been booked under IPC Sections 420 (cheating), 34 (common intention), 292 and 293 (related to obscene and indecent advertisements and displays), and relevant sections of the IT Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, registered at Malwani police station on February 4 this year.

Kundra had approached the Sessions Court in June seeking anticipatory bail in a case filed by the cyber police in connection to a complaint alleging that certain online platforms were publishing obscene videos as a part of their web series. The complaint was filed last year under the IPC section pertaining to obscenity, the Information Technology Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prevention) Act. Among those arrested was an employee of a tech startup linked with Kundra. The arrest was made on the basis of the statement of model Sherlyn Chopra. Kundra was summoned by the police. He claimed to have exited from the start-up, and had nothing to do with the alleged shoots or web series. The court is likely to decide on the anticipatory bail application next week.

In a video, actress-model Sagarika Shona Suman has claimed that she had got a call from Kamat, who offered her a web series which was supposedly backed by Kundra. She says she was further asked to give a nude audition on a video call, which she refused.

— With inputs from Agencies

Mahatma Gandhi is the name Poonam Pandey thoughtfully picks to suggest who signifies ‘competition’ to her. “He’s possibly the most controversial figure in our country and I’d rather compete with him than Sunny Leone or Kim Kardashian,” she deadpans. If controversies are what she is courting, the 30-year-old is not far from her goal since they follow Pandey like Mary’s little lamb, and have helped turn her from just another aspiring model to an adult entertainer who earns big bucks.

Her lockdown diary in brief: In May, Pandey was booked by Mumbai Police for flouting lockdown rules by taking a spin around the city in her car. In September, within a fortnight of marrying her boyfriend Sam Bombay, she filed an FIR against him for assaulting her during their honeymoon in Goa. Even as they returned on Instagram as “Mr & Mrs Bombay” curled up in each other’s arms, much to the consternation of the Goa police — a complaint was filed and the couple detained — this time for allegedly shooting an obscene video at the Chapoli dam in the coastal state.

“We thought it was a beautiful location to shoot in. I had no clue that it was a government restricted property. I’ve shot in places and temperatures you can’t even think of taking your clothes off,” she says. “But I accept my fault. Goan people are so sweet.”

Born to a father who sold industrial furnaces and a mother who stayed at home “to deal with a girl like me”, the self-proclaimed “kameeni of the family” was shoved into the spotlight of her own making when she pledged to do a full monty for the Indian cricket team if they beat Pakistan in the World Cup semi-finals in 2011. “I was 17 when I started modelling. I was a Gladrags and a Kingfisher calendar model yet why was no one noticing me?” It was a door, she felt, she had to prise open herself.

And then India not only thrashed Pakistan, they also won the World Cup. “But the BCCI did not allow me to strip,” she rues. “Dar mujhe bhi lagta hai. When I made the statement, I did it for fun. How would I know there’d be 25 court cases and mahila morchas after me... It’s like a teenager had ruined Indian sabhyata with five words. I thought to myself, ‘take it easy Poonam — there’s a long road ahead, you can do 500 controversies but this one — go easy!”

She parlayed that burst of notoriety into nearly 10 years of building a pout-and-strip empire. As producer and star of her own show on an app that makes her private moments public, Poonam has managed to catapult herself from a one-room apartment in Thane’s Tilaknagar where she lived with her family of five to a four-storeyed bungalow in one of Bandra’s spiffiest corners, Turner Road.

According to reports, her net worth as of 2020 is estimated at $7 million, that’s Rs 52 crore. Asked if it is true, she laughs: “See, I don’t want anyone coming after me but yes, it’s very close to the kind of money superstars make,” she concedes. Sitting in her plush living room, Pandey comes across as a blend of brash and bashful; of middle class roots and full-on diva as she flutters her eyelashes and takes stock of her life today buffered by “six staff members, three chefs, a husband who isn’t as traumatised by the things I do unlike my parents, a BMW luxury sedan and a Porsche on my wishlist.”

As we plunge awkwardly into her marital troubles after she packed her newlywed husband off to jail, she says without batting an eyelid, “We had a fight but in my case everything becomes big. I can be a volcano at times. We’re good now!”

Has her family come to terms with her sexuality, we wonder aloud. “Pehle bahut maar padti thi and my mother still doesn’t know everything. But even as an irresponsible child, I’m responsible for taking care of them and they love me for that.”

As she shows off her younger sister who has studied law and a successful businessman as elder brother, “I’m a little stupid doing all this silly stuff,” she giggles. But Pandey is remarkably aware of how she managed to build her brand — of barely covering nor actually showing any of her lady bits — to appeal to people’s sense of voyeurism. What started as amateur videos with titles like ‘My Bathroom Secrets’ and ‘Jingle Boobs for Christmas’ that she calls “kindergarten stuff” shot on her phone graduated to a personal app in 2017 that now has a “70-member crew” working behind the scenes. “In my first video I was topless,” she chortles. “It went viral, I saw the numbers growing and now it’s turned into a business.”

Entering her app which, she claims, has 2.5 million subscribers, is almost like stepping into a virtual playboy mansion that invites you into her “private room” with a horny camera on the loose. At first glance you see a gallery of short films with curtains pulled back on Pandey in various stages of undress — clutching her bare breast, leaning on a broken kitchen sink in a garden, or simply lying naked in bed caressing a guitar — all cheekily behind a red filter. The game plan is smart. She uses “native currency” in the form of hearts to seduce followers into membership tiers — classic, royal and private club — which could leave one poorer by Rs 9 to Rs 9,999 but would unlock these lurid fantasies. “Indians make up 60% of my fan following, 30% are in the US and the rest global,” says Pandey who refuses to be labelled a porn star. “What I do isn’t porn, it’s erotica. It’s the difference between an android phone and an iPhone. I’m an iPhone.”

For someone with an ability to court attention with anything she does including one of the five movies she starred in — Nasha, playing Mrs Robinson to a teenage boy and angering political outfits who burnt the posters — Pandey has barely appeared (no pun intended) on the silver screen. “I get offered web series. A lot of sex scenes is not a problem because I understand what people want from me. But there has to be a story, no?”

So what goal has she set herself ? “To be like salt!” she says, cocking her head to one side. “See, you can add any masala to your food but if salt is missing, it’s tasteless. But if you add too much salt, it could ruin your food. I want to be that right amount of salt in people’s lives,” she chuckles.

Poinguinim/Calangute: Goa police on Thursday arrested actor Poonam Pandey and her director husband, Sam Ahmed Bombay, after apprehending them at a Sinquerim-based resort in connection with the circulation of an obscene video clip shot at Chapoli dam in Canacona.

The couple was granted bail by the judicial magistrate first class (JMFC), Canacona, at around 9.15pm on Thursday. Cuncolim PI Therron D’Costa, who is holding additional charge of the Canacona police station, said that the couple cannot move out of Goa wihout the permission of the court and have to report to the police station for six days.

D’Costa also told TOI that Pandey and her husband will be kept at the police station until they furnish the bail bond of Rs 20,000 each.

While Canacona PI Tukaram Chavan was suspended by the Goa police along with one constable who was present at the video shoot venue, the water resources department (WRD) suspended six of its personnel posted at Chapoli dam for dereliction of duty, pending inquiry into the incident.

WRD’s executive engineer Krishnakant Patil said the suspended staffers have been asked to report to the Margao works division during the suspension period. WRD chief engineer Shrikant Patil, has also written to Goa Human Resource Development Corporation to suspend all the seven security personnel who were posted at Chapoli dam and to replace them with new personnel with immediate effect.

South Goa SP Pankaj Kumar Singh said Pandey was traced at a starred resort in Sinquerim on Thursday and was served a notice under section 41A CrPC to appear before the Canacona police on Friday.

“However, during investigation it was revealed that she had booked her ticket for Mumbai and was about to leave Goa on Thursday afternoon,” Singh said.

A police team under the supervision of Cuncolim PI Therron D’Costa consequently detained Pandey and her husband at the hotel and brought the couple to the Canacona police station, Singh said.

They have been arrested under sections 292 (taking obscene photos), 293 (circulating the obscene photos on social media), 294 (for obscene act) and 447(trespass), of the Indian Penal Code, sections 4 and 6 of The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, and section 67-A of the IT Act.

“Police investigation has revealed that the couple had sneaked into the dam during the early hours of October 31 and shot the objectionable clip,” Singh said.

Further investigation is under way.

Canacona police on Wednesday had registered an FIR against Pandey following complaints by angry citizens and the WRD on November 2 about the circulation of the obscene video without permission of the authorities .

Irate villagers on Wednesday had marched to the office of the deputy collector, Canacona, demanding the suspension of the Canacona PI, whom they had accused of providing police protection to Pandey and the crew for the video shoot at the dam. They had threatened to call for a Canacona-wide bandh if the police failed to suspend Chavan by Thursday morning.

Canacona locals, who had gathered at the mini-complex at Chaudi on Thursday morning, withdrew the bandh call on learning about Chavan’s suspension.

Later, at a meeting held at the office of the deputy collector, in the presence of Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes and former MLA Ramesh Tawadkar, Quepem DySP Nelson Albuquerque told the locals that an inquiry into the incident was in progress.

A strong posse of policemen was present in Canacona since early morning Thursday to tackle any law and order situation in case of a bandh.

Six police buses were seen stationed along the road in the vicinity of the Canacona police station.

If Pakistani model Qandeel Baloch's murder in the name of honour killing wasn't shocking enough, what sent a chill down our spine was the accused, her brother Waseem, confessing to the crime devoid of any remorse or regret. While women around the world are discussing and debating feminism, equal rights and equal pay, here, another brutal reality is staring at us in the face. Putting honour over humanity is disgraceful. Qandeel apparently wanted an Indian citizenship. The model had tweeted in March that she wanted an Indian citizenship because she was disappointed with Pakistan and had tagged PM Narendra Modi in her tweet. In an interview just days before her death, she had said, “In Pakistan, people are not ready to accept me. It would be much easier for me to work in India.“ Sadly, horrifying acts of honour killing are rampant in India as well, and various films over time have attempted to draw attention to this heinous act. Much recently, the widely acclaimed Marathi film Sairat was based on the same subject, though when we asked director Nagraj Manjule, he was evasive about it.

Filmmaker Aanand L Rai strongly expressed his views and said, “There is no comparison between India and Pakistan in this regard. Despite so many difficulties, we Indians have our own voice, whether it is honour killing or censorship. I know I have a voice here. It's not that things are easy in our country, but I still have the freedom and I am proud of my country for that. I can raise my voice against honour killing and all other issues. When we have an issue or a problem, we fight and try to solve it. These are two different countries, with different mindsets.“

Sherlyn Chopra, known for her risqué avatar, says, “I've have made some bold choices in life and I'm proud of them. Initially, my family was surprised with my daring decisions but later on realised that as an adult, I had every right to live my life on my terms as long as I was ready to face the consequences. I was prepared to face backlash after I returned from Los Angeles where I had shot for the cover of a popular adult magazine. But surprisingly, the plaudits had outnumbered the brickbats for the courage that I had shown. I feel that India is tolerant in many ways inspite of being a diverse nation. I feel deeply sorry for Qandeel, who was forced to pay a highly unreasonable price for having lived her life audaciously. No honour is above humanity. No nation or constitution can guarantee freedom to its citizens as long as there are anti-social elements prevalent across the globe. Therefore, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.“

Director Navdeep Singh, whose film NH10 touched upon the issue, says, “Honour killing is a horrible thing. It's shocking that a person's life can be tied to someone else's honour, whether brother or family. No one has the right to take anyone's life. It happens largely with women because of the patriarchal society. Though attempts are being made to dissuade honour killing, they don't reach the small towns and villages where it matters. Lecturebaazi won't help. More than legal, it is a socio-cultural issue. The threat of punishment is there for any murder, and honour killing is no less than murder.“

Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane, who made her Bollywood debut with Sanam Teri Kasam this year, adds, “She died because she didn't conform to the norms of this patriarchal society. She may be right or wrong but she wanted to live on her own terms and everyone is entitled to do so. We, who talk about women empowerment and equality of men and women in society, are the pseudo-elites who just make it to the headlines in the papers. Thousands of women like Qandeel are the ones who truly need empowerment, education and security at so many levels. I feel devastated and helpless as a girl living in the 21st century when such absurd incidents happen.“

Pakistani actress Veena Malik says, “This is not an ordinary matter. It is extremely sensitive. Nobody has the right to kill anyone in the name of honour. Such people should be punished to set an example. This incident is shocking and condemnable.“ Pakistani actor-singer Ali Zafar raised a valid point too. He wrote, “If women started killing us to protect their honour, a lot of us would be dead!“

Qandeel was called the 'Poonam Pandey of Pakistan'. Poonam says, “I get abused for some of my comments like the time when I had said I would strip for the Indian cricket team. I believe Qandeel made the same offer but it wasn't meant to offend anyone. My brothers may shout at me, but they won't kill me for the way I am or what I choose to wear.“

Pakistani actor Imran Abbas (who made his Bollywood debut with Creature) questioned the hypocritical mindset of the society in his latest post on social media. He wrote (excerpts), “Call me overemotional, oversensitive, whatever but the murder of this poor girl was extremely shocking. The brutal murder of this young girl, who ran after her dreams to get rid of poverty, who found her own ways to get noticed through her limited resources (although they were vulgar and not what people in our society approve of), who unveiled the real face of so called religious scholars was not at all justified in the name of honour. Who are we to judge anyone because of someone's acts in public? Who knows what others, even we are doing in the veil of darkness. Pakistan is the nation which scored the highest in searching porn sites at Google can only kill a woman in the name of honour, but throng of vultures who surrounds her body are left alone because they are MEN. This girl could have been gotten away if she was from a well-connected background and had her own links to the people in power. But her real crime was POVERTY which made her saw those dazzling dreams and took her to this point where she was strangled by a so called 'gheratmand' who even took her cell phone and little cash which was, according to this 'gheratmand society', her 'haraam ki kamaayi' (sic).

Actress Kashmera Shah reacts, “How can any human being get the right to judge morality? It's all relative - this nonsense view we have about how honourable we are. Seriously speaking, no one really cares. When you kill a beloved over a warped sense of honour, you take yourself further from God and anything and everything that is holy. Qandeel's death is a shame on every brother who takes a vow to protect his sister.“

Sunny Leone says, “I'm upset about this and have not figured out my emotions from my thoughts to my opinion on it. I am sad to read this.“ In the past, the actress had spoken about how her relatives had disowned her appearance in Bigg Boss. Actress Mahira Khan retweeted, “Honour killing is such a false term to describe a beyghairat committing cold-blooded murder.“

We spoke to her on Thursday after she became a Twitter sensation for her twerk video, Ban. On Saturday morning, Qandeel Baloch, 26, was killed, allegedly by her own brother, for being the fiery, outspoken and independent woman she was. Often referred to as Pakistan's answer to Poonam Pandey, she was happy to speak to us over the phone. At no point did the model-actress, who told us that she had sought police protection, talk about any threat from her brother. In fact, she wanted to work in India if a good film offer came her way. And of course, she was eloquent while expressing her love for Imran Khan, speaking about her misadventure with a mufti or her ex husband and child. Here are a few excerpts from perhaps her last interview.

What made you twerk in the video, Ban?
I tried it, but frankly, I don't know how to twerk. Maine galat kiya. I should have taken classes before doing the video, which I didn't. Right now I am not relaxed because of the court cases on me, but once I am free from it all, I would like to do my own music video. I can sing rather well. In this video, I didn't look into the costume bit, but I'll be cautious next time onwards.

Was Miley Cyrus your inspiration?
No, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga are my inspiration... The production house, which made the video, wanted to feature a controversial figure and there's no one better than me at the moment.

The lyrics go like, Tere thumke pe lag jana ban. You must have been sure that the video would be banned sooner or later...
The storyboard, the costumes and the feel of the video were a bit too much... The two-three music channels that are there in the country are never going to play it. I did it solely for the internet. I can't imagine this video getting so popular! In Pakistan, I have got tremendous backlash for the video, people have lodged complaints and I am being dragged to court. Woh samajhte hain ki main Pakistan ko badnaam kar rahi hoon iss tarah ke kaam karke. Many said I am not a Baloch and I have nothing to do with the community; in general, the feeling is that I am doing everything to bring shame to Pakistan. But I will not stop. Sar pe dupatta toh pehen ne wali main hoon nahin.

After Taher Shah, you are the second internet sensation from Pakistan who is getting trolled outside the country...
Please don't compare me with Taher Shah. He is a joker, while I am an artiste - I am a model and an actress. Taher Shah comes, makes people laugh and goes away. I work with a lot of honesty. Yes, I have set my image, which is bold, but I have nothing to do with a joker. My aim is to change the social norms of Pakistan, women here look up to me. I started very early, worked on myself and the effect is for all to see.

How did you get into showbiz?
I am from an ordinary family and had nothing to do with the glamour world. In my home, no one could have imagined reaching where I am today. Then, I decided to take the reins of my life in my hands. I really worked hard to be where I am today. Also, my focus was never on the electronic media, I didn't want to show my face on TV, but concentrated on social media. I am not hungry for roles on TV or in films. I am happy being a social media sensation.

You first came into limelight after you said you would strip dance for the country and even dedicate the video to Shahid Afridi if Pakistan beat India in the T20 World Cup match in March. No wonder, you have earned the moniker of Pakistan's Poonam Pandey. In 2011, she had promised to strip for Team India if the country won the World Cup...
That was not the first video though it became popular worldwide. Before this, I had made several selfie videos, which went viral. My Dubsmash videos too were popular. My video during the T20 World Cup was like a trailer, not the full movie. But Pakistan didn't win. I used to be a fan of Shahid Afridi, but after the big defeat, I started hating him. About being Pakistan's Poonam Pandey, it's you who call me that. At times, I feel very sad, even angry. Yes, Poonam Pandey is bold, but she is not all that great. I know I am much better.

Soon after you tasted fame, your former husband Ashiq Hussain claimed that you had demanded a huge sum of money from him, which led to the divorce and that he has your son's custody...
I was 17 when I was forced into marriage. I had no hand in it and I didn't even enjoy being with the man. Also, I wanted to study but no one listened to me. I wanted to move forward in life, it wasn't a happy situation. Because of some family problems I had to stick around. But now that I am successful, some are claiming to be my husband, others are claiming to be my longlost buddies, I don't know why!

Did you speak to Ashiq after becoming famous?
Yes, he spoke to me and asked for money. It was a huge amount. He said I had taken money from him eight years ago and if I didn't pay him back, he would expose me; reveal my son's pictures to the media. I asked him why I should pay money to him! Since then, he has been speaking non-stop to the media, making false allegations against me. Yes, I had a grey past, but I have changed now.

Are you going to fight for your child's custody?
I want to, and that too soon. But my parents have advised me against it. Right now, I plan to fly out of the country. There was a time my parents never listened to me. They wouldn't have forced me into marriage had they heard me out. But now, they support me. They are dependent on me. I have bought them a house and they are happy with me.

You seem to be controversy's favourite child. After you clicked a selfie with Mufti Abdul Qavi, the government had to sack him immediately...
See, muftis and maulvis have a huge following in Pakistan. In an Islamic country they rule the roost. Mufti Abdul Qavi had invited me and I went to meet him. I wanted to take lessons in Islam from him but having spoken to him for some time, I realised he was a fake person. So, I exposed him through pictures. After that, I am getting threat calls everyday.

Would you like to work in India?
In Pakistan, people are not ready to accept me. It would be much easier for me to work in India. See, I want to change the society in Pakistan. There are many women who are forcefully married off and their spouses torture them. I have been through a lot and look where I have reached today. If I could come this far, I can definitely go further. I want to help out women in the country. But people won't let that happen. There's a threat to my life and the situation is so bad that I am forced to stay underground. I can't step out and have not gone to the court for hearings.

Who is giving you protection?
I have already applied to the Home Ministry for security. So far, I have got nothing. For security , I am staying underground. There are too many controversies around me, mediapersons are calling every day, but I am yet to wriggle out of it.

Given a choice, would you like to strip for an Indian star?
India mein main ek hi bande ki fan hoon - Mr Amitabh Bachchan. Virat Kohli is charming and handsome, but I would strip only for Mr Bachchan.

You were heartbroken with rumours of Imran Khan tying the knot for the third time.
I am a huge fan of his and even went to his house. But he was away. Earlier, I had spoken about my love for him through my videos. When I heard he was getting married, I was very upset. But Imran Khan clarified that those were just rumours. He wrote on Twitter: 'Rumours abt my marriage absolutely baseless. I have not gotten married. When I do I will announce & celebrate publicly (sic).' Many have criticised me for my love for him, they even said I was married before. See, you can fall in love with anyone, anytime. I would love to marry Imran Khan.

Actress Subuhi Joshi will play a character too 'dark' for her comfort on Comedy Classes. She will be seen as Poonam Pandey's sister Amavas Pandey in one of the spoofs. To match her name with her looks, the makers decided to paint her black. Says Subuhi, “When I read the script and got to know that my character's name is Amavas, I died laughing. But that laughter died abruptly when I realised that I had to look hideous. It took two hours of makeup to get the desired result. I was so scandalised that I didn't want anyone to see me.“