MUMBAI – The executive producer of the popular Indian television show ‘EkVeer Ki Ardaas…Veera’ Mukesh Mishra, has raped a 31-year-old actress in amakeup room after offering her a lift on his two-wheeler.

A report in Free Press Journal claimed that a special women’s court whileholding Mishra, 33, guilty for the crime, considered the statement of asweeper, who had seen him entering the makeup room. It sentenced theexecutive producer to seven years of imprisonment and Rs 5000 as a penalty.The incident took place on an uneventful day in December 2012 after sheaccepted his favour to take a bike ride with him to the shooting location.

The actress in her complaint alleged that Mishra offered her a lift on histwo-wheeler from a bus stop saying that the bus would be arriving late.After they reached the location, he followed her inside a makeup room wherehe forced himself on her and assaulted her sexually.

The victim claimed that the accused continuously threatened her of direconsequences if she told this to anyone. The accused also threatened tokill her daughter and began seeking sexual favours from her which shedeclined, she alleged in her complaint.

The report said that in 2013, the victim narrated the incident to herhusband, who is a journalist and a small-time director. They filed acomplaint against Mishra following which he was arrested on charges of rapeand criminal intimidation. The accused was also sacked as the executiveproducer by the show management.