The Rajajinagar Police in Bengaluru have arrested Kannada actor, director, and producer BI Hemant Kumar after a television actor accused him of sexual harassment, cheating, and criminal intimidation.
According to media reports, the actor, in her complaint, alleged that Hemant approached her in 2022 with an offer of a lead role in a film, for which she signed an agreement. She was promised Rs 2 lakh as remuneration. Of this, Rs 60,000 was paid in advance. The title of the film remains unclear, with reports referring to it as either 3 or Richie.
The complainant stated that Hemant later delayed the project and began pressuring her to wear revealing clothes and perform “obscene scenes.” When she refused, he allegedly misbehaved with her and issued threats. The dispute was temporarily resolved through mediation by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, after which she completed shooting her portions. However, the actress alleged that Hemant continued to harass and intimidate her even after the film’s completion.
In 2023, during a promotional event in Mumbai, Hemant allegedly spiked her drink, filmed her while she was intoxicated, and used the video to blackmail her. When she resisted, he allegedly sent goons to follow her and issued life threats to her and mother.
The complaint also states that Hemant posted uncensored and edited clips from the film on social media without Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) approval, and publicly defamed her by sharing personal information. Despite an interim injunction issued by a Bengaluru city civil court restraining him from uploading any related videos, he allegedly continued posting defamatory content online.