The Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested two people on charges of framing and planting drugs on actress Chrisann Pereira. The actress is in jail in Sharjah, UAE, due to the drugs planted on her by the duo in the drugs-smuggling case. The accused had sent Chrisann to Sharjah with drugs hidden in a trophy. She was allegedly framed in revenge for a fight over a dog.
One of the accused indentified as Anthony Paul is a resident of Borivali in Mumbai, the other nabbed by Mumbai Crime Branch is called Rajesh Babhote alias Ravi, a resident of Sindhudurg district. It was learned by police officials that Paul masterminded the plan to frame Chrisann in the case to exact revenge from her mother, Premila Pereira. As per police officials, Paul along with his accomplice Ravi, hatched a plot to send Chrisann to the UAE on the pretext of auditioning for an international web series. While going to the airport, she was handed the trophy which contained the drugs. The authorities also said that Paul had framed four other people in a similar manner.
Apparently, Paul who runs a bakery in Malad and Borivali in Mumbai had a tiff with Premila. One of his sisters stays in the same building where Chrisann’s mother also resides. During the Covid-19 induced lockdown in 2020, Paul was berated by her when he had gone to meet his sister as Premila’s dog barked at him and tried to pounce on him. To save himself, Paul picked up a chair in a bid to hit the canine but Premila got angry seeing this and insulted him in front of several people. This hurt stayed with him and he eventually hatched a plan to take revenge on her through Chrisann.
He contacted Premila on her mobile number sending a text about real estate-related work and asked her to meet him at his office. During the meeting he made Premila talk about Chrisann’s acting work and told her that he owns a talent management company called Talent Pool and claimed that it was looking for an actress for an international web series. He fabricated a meeting at the Hotel Grand Hyatt and told Chrisann that she was selected and was asked to go to Dubai for an audition. Her tickets were booked for Sharjah on April 1 and her stay at Hilton hotel was also communicated to her. Before her departure, the trophy containing ganja and poppy seeds were handed to her and told that it was a prop for the audition.
As per reports, when the actress reached Sharjah, she checked with the hotel for her booking but her name was not found in the bookings. She then approached the police authorities with the trophy and was detained and later arrested as they found drugs inside. On learning about her daughter’s arrest, Premila approached Mumbai Police and an FIR was lodged at Vakola police station. An investigation is underway and the police will contact authorities in the Ministry of External Affairs through appropriate diplomatic channels.
Apparently, Paul and Rajesh 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 has worked in films like Sadak 2 and Batla House.
