Shilpa Shetty on Raj Kundra case: We don’t deserve media trial

Mumbai, Aug. 2 (PTI): Breaking her silence in the ongoing porn films case involving her husband Raj Kundra’s arrest, actor Shilpa Shetty in a statement on Monday requested people to respect the family’s privacy, especially that of her children, and let law take its course.

Kundra, 45, was arrested by the Mumbai crime branch on July 19, in a case, which it said related to alleged creation of pornographic films and publishing them through some apps. His bail application was rejected by a lower court last Wednesday.

Shetty took to Instagram and posted a note, writing that she has full faith in the Mumbai Police and the Indian judiciary.

“As a family, we are taking recourse to all our available legal remedies. But, till then I humbly request you – especially as a Mother – to respect our privacy for my children’s sake and request you to refrain from commenting on half-baked information without verifying the veracity of the same,” the actor, who shares son Viaan (nine) and daughter Samisha (one) with Kundra, wrote in a post.

Shetty’s comments come days after the Bombay High Court refused to gag media as requested by the actor against alleged defamatory articles published against her and family after the arrest of her husband.

In an interim application, Shetty had sought for media to be restrained from publishing any “incorrect, false, malicious and defamatory” content, on which the court noted that passing a blanket gag order on the media against reporting anything on the matter shall have a “chilling effect on the freedom of press”.

Justice Gautam Patel said there is a judicial limit on what can be construed as good or bad journalism, also observing that the articles referred to by Shetty in her suit do not seem to be defamatory.

The actor, who serves on the jury panel of the “Super Dancer Chapter 4”, has not appeared on the Sony TV’s dance reality show since Kundra was taken into custody.

Shetty was questioned by the police on the matter, who told the officials that she had no idea about the content of the ‘Hot Shots’ app through which her husband allegedly distributed pornographic films, according to sources.

In her statement on Monday, the actor also said that she is a “proud law-abiding Indian citizen” and a hardworking professional for the last 29 years.

“People have put their faith in me and I’ve never let anyone down. So, most importantly, I request you to respect my family’s and my right’ to privacy in these times. We don’t deserve a media trial. Please let the law take its course. Satyamev Jayate,” she added.

Shetty, 46, said the past few days have been “challenging on every front” and the family has battled a “lot of rumours and accusations.”

“A lot of unwarranted aspersions on me cast by the media and (not so) well wishers as well. A lot of trolling/questions posed not only to me but also to my family. My stand, I have not commented yet. And will continue to refrain from doing so on this case as it is subjudice, so please stop attributing false quotes on my behalf.

“Reiterating my philosophy of, as a celebrity ‘Never complain, never explain.’ All I will say is, as it’s an on-going investigation, I have full faith in the Mumbai Police and the Indian judiciary,” she added.