A conspiracy involving a dog, trophy and drugs landed a Bollywood actor in a jail in the UAE.
Chrisann Pereira, currently lodged in Sharjah Central Jail, was arrested at the Sharjah airport on April 1 for carrying a memento that had drugs hidden in it. However, the Mumbai Crime Branch has now found out that the actor was allegedly framed in revenge for a fight over a dog.
The police have arrested two people, Anthony Paul - a bakery owner and Rajesh Bobhate - an assistant general manager in a bank - in the case. Rajesh was arrested today, a day after Anthony's arrest.
The men, residents of Mira Road - a suburb of Mumbai - are also accused of demanding money to release Ms Pereira after she was caught with drugs.
"Anthony booked the Sharjah ticket for her. He also gave her a fake return ticket," said Deepak Sawant, senior inspector in the crime branch.
A preliminary investigation by the crime branch revealed that accused Anthony's sister had a fight with the mother of the actor over the dog. Both of them live in the same building. Her mother also had a fight with Anthony once over the dog.
The police suspect that the actor was allegedly made a drug mule over the same issue.
Anthony allegedly approached the actor through Rajesh who posed as a talent consultant and told her about an audition for a web series in Sharjah.
The accused also asked her to carry a trophy in which he had hidden the contraband, the police said. She was told the memento was an audition prop.
"He gave the trophy by hiding ganja and poppy seeds in it so that he could be caught there. After she landed, he called the Sharjah airport and she was caught," the officer said.
Anthony and Rajesh have conspired to trap at least five people in a similar fashion, police said.
They have also been accused of framing a DJ - Clayton Rodriguez - by giving him a cake in which drugs were hidden.
The accused have been sent to police custody till May 2.
Chrisann Pereira has worked in Bollywood films like 'Sadak-2' and 'Batla House'.
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