Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh

A rape case has been registered against film Dhurandhar production designer Saini S. Johray at Chandigarh’s Sector-17 police station following allegations made by a young woman who accused him of sexual assault, wrongful confinement, and physical violence.

According to the complaint, the accused allegedly called the woman to a five-star hotel in Sector-17 on the pretext of a work discussion and later assaulted her. Police said an FIR was registered under Sections 74, 79, 123, and 126(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Johray was arrested by Sector-17 police but was later granted bail by a district court.

The complainant, originally from Khudda Lahora in Chandigarh and currently residing in New Delhi, told police that she was studying at the Government College of Art in Chandigarh’s Sector-10 in 2025 when her resume was forwarded to the Dhurandhar film team through a teacher. She alleged that Johray hired her as an Assistant Art Director for the project on September 2, 2025, and introduced himself as her mentor.

In her complaint, the woman stated that four to five days after joining the project, the accused invited her to a hotel room in Sector-17 under the guise of discussing work. She claimed she initially believed it was a team meeting but later discovered no other crew members had been invited.

The complainant alleged that on the night of September 10, 2025, she reached the hotel room around 8:30 pm, where the accused pressured her into consuming alcohol. Within minutes of drinking, she reportedly began feeling dizzy and unwell, suspecting that an intoxicating substance had been mixed into her drink.

She further alleged that Johray touched her inappropriately under the pretext of teaching her dance moves and that her condition worsened, causing repeated vomiting.

Despite her deteriorating health, she alleged that the accused prevented her from leaving the room and raped her. The complaint also accuses him of assaulting her when she resisted.

Police completed a preliminary inquiry before formally registering the FIR on April 21, 2026. The matter came into public notice late Monday evening.