Television actor Ashish Kapoor has been taken into custody in Pune, Maharashtra, in connection with a rape case registered in Delhi, police confirmed. Authorities said a team tracked the actor’s movements across several cities, including Goa and Pune, before apprehending him.

The case stems from a complaint filed at the Civil Lines police station in Delhi, where a woman alleged that Kapoor assaulted her in a bathroom during a house party in the second week of August. An FIR was lodged on August 11, prompting an extensive search for the actor.

Initially, the complaint accused Kapoor, along with unidentified men, of rape. The statement was later revised, naming only Kapoor as the primary accused. According to The Indian Express, the FIR had originally included Kapoor, a friend, the friend’s wife, and two unidentified individuals. Days later, the woman altered her account, alleging that Kapoor and his friend raped her while the friend’s wife physically assaulted her. The friend and his wife subsequently secured anticipatory bail, with the complainant not naming them in her court submissions.

Investigators said CCTV footage and witness accounts suggested Kapoor and the woman were seen entering a bathroom together during the party and did not come out for a while, prompting others to knock on the door. A heated argument reportedly followed, extending to the building’s entrance, where the complainant claimed she was assaulted by the friend’s wife. It was the wife who eventually contacted the police, officers added.

The woman also claimed the incident was recorded, but no such footage has been found during the investigation. Police said Kapoor and the complainant had first connected on Instagram before he invited her to the gathering where the alleged assault took place.

Who Is Ashish Kapoor?

Born on 17 October 1984, Kapoor, 40, is known for his work in Indian television dramas. He has appeared in a variety of popular shows, including ‘Ssshhh… Phir Koi Hai’, ‘Sasural Simar Ka 2’, ‘Saat Phere – Saloni Ka Safar’, ‘Saraswatichandra’, ‘Molkki Rishton Ki Agnipariksha’, and ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai’. He is best recognised for portraying Udayveer Singh in ‘Dekha Ek Khwaab’, opposite Priyal Gor.

Before his television career, Kapoor trained as an interior designer. He made his acting debut with ‘Shhh… Koi Hai’ and went on to feature in ‘Love Marriage’, ‘Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya 2’, ‘Nandini’, ‘Woh Apna Sa’, ‘Bandini’, and several other serials.

Personal Life

Kapoor has frequently made headlines for his relationships. He previously dated co-star Priyal Gor, with the pair maintaining an amicable friendship after parting ways. He later dated Albanian model Ilda Kroni, a relationship that reportedly ended on a sour note.

He later got engaged to television producer Pearl Grey in April 2021, with both getting matching tattoos reading “till death do us apart.” The two met while working on ‘Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya 2’, where Kapoor played Adarsh and Grey served as executive producer. The engagement ended after over a year.

(With inputs from ANI)