MUMBAI: Bollywood singer Ankit Tiwari of Aashiqui 2 fame was arrested on Thursday for rape after a woman accused him of getting intimate with her after making false promises of marriage. His elder brother and manager, Ankur, too, was arrested—for threatening the woman at knifepoint—but released on bail.

The complainant, aged 28, is a single mother. The police said Ankit (24) met her two years ago. “On July 21, 2013, he landed up at her residence for her sister’s birthday party, during which he forced her to drink liquor. Then he took her to the bedroom on the pretext of discussing something important and allegedly raped her,” said an officer from the Versova police station.

A month later, when Ankit visited their residence again, the complainant’s sister confronted him and asked if he would marry her. At this, Ankit picked up vermillion from a temple inside the house and put it in the partition of the complainant’s hair. “On several occasions thereafter, Ankit got physical with the complainant by force. The complainant wanted to make their marriage legal by registering it, but Ankit would avoid the topic,” said senior inspector H Parmale of the Versova police station.

A member of Ankit’s family said, “He met the woman during Durga Puja in 2012. They became friends and wanted to take their relationship to the next level. But soon Ankit came to know that the woman had lied to him. In fact, she was a divorcee and had a daughter. He wanted out of the relationship, but she started threatening him. She has filed a false complaint to frame Ankit.”

