FIR Registered

The Khar police have registered an FIR against eight people after a 28-year-old Ugandan businessman alleged that a woman and her male friends assaulted him twice following accidental elbow contact at a pub in Khar West early on Monday, as reported by the Free Press Journal and The Times of India.

The complainant, Prince Louis Mushabe, is the managing director of international procurement and supply-chain company Prince Louis Holdings. He told police he reached the Rasta Bombay Pub alone around 11.15pm on Sunday. Around 1am, an unidentified person shook his hand and pulled him, causing his elbow to accidentally touch a woman behind him, according to his complaint.

The Alleged Assault

According to the complaint, the woman and a male friend slapped him before bouncers intervened. Later, when he entered an app-based cab, the woman allegedly approached the vehicle on Fifth Road around 1.40am, made an obscene gesture, and hurled abuses at him. When Mushabe got out to question her, the men allegedly restrained him, pulled his shirt, pushed him to the ground, and thrashed him. The woman also allegedly assaulted him. The complaint said seven to eight others were nearby.

A bouncer rescued Mushabe and sent him by car to the Khar police station. His wristwatch was damaged during the assault. Mushabe was taken to Bhabha Hospital after reporting difficulty hearing in his left ear; doctors found no serious injury but advised a pure-tone audiometry test on Tuesday, as reported by The Times of India.

Police Action

Police identified six of the accused as Murad Al Rahisi, 26, Ritika Al Rahisi, 25, Naimuddin Shaikh, 37, Mohit Ramraje, 23, Navnit Jha, 28, and Arnav Jha, 28. They were traced to their homes in Goregaon within 12 hours using CCTV footage from the pub's parking area that captured them taking a cab. They were apprehended and later released after being served notices on Monday evening. Police said the accused were struggling actors and background artistes in Bollywood. Two others remain unidentified, as reported by the Free Press Journal.

Police have sought CCTV footage from inside the pub to establish what triggered the incident.

Accused's Counterclaim

The accused claimed that Mushabe had misbehaved with their female friend, an allegation he denied, as reported by both the Free Press Journal and The Times of India.

Police said Mushabe frequently visits India for business, including audits of medical-grade supply chains and manufacturing facilities, according to The Times of India.