FIR filed against production designer Dhurandhar on sexual harassment charges in Chandigarh

The Chandigarh police have registered a case against Saini S Johray, the production designer of the upcoming film Dhurandhar, following allegations of sexual harassment and wrongful detention by a woman who worked as an assistant art director on the project.

Dhurandhar a production designer booked in a case of alleged sexual harassment in Chandigarh

The FIR was lodged at the Sector-17 police station after the complainant, a resident of New Delhi, filed a written complaint on April 20. According to police records, a case was registered under Sections 74, 79, 123 and 126(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) after a preliminary investigation.

The woman alleged that Johray called her to a room at the Taj Hotel in Chandigarh on the pretext of a professional discussion and later sexually harassed and physically assaulted her. She also claimed that an intoxicant had been mixed into her drink, causing her health to deteriorate rapidly.

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Investigators have identified Johray as a resident of Oberoi Springs in Andheri West, Mumbai. He recently grabbed the attention of the film industry by designing a large-scale replica of the Pakistani city of Lyari in Thailand for Dhurandhar.

More about the claim

In her complaint, the woman said she got involved in the film project while studying at a government college after a faculty member forwarded her resume to the production team. On September 2, 2025, she was reportedly hired as an assistant art director.

According to the complaint, Johray introduced himself as her mentor and claimed to be a graduate of Delhi College of Art, which she said helped build her trust in him professionally.

The complainant alleged that within days of joining the production, Johray invited her to a room at the Taj Hotel in Sector 17 and told her it was a work discussion. She said she initially believed the other crew members would be present, only to find out later that no one else had been invited.

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The woman further alleged that Johray repeatedly instructed her not to disclose details of the meeting to others, allegedly warning that doing so could damage her professional reputation in the industry.

According to her statement, she arrived at the hotel on September 10, 2025 at around 8:30 p.m. She claimed that Johray pressured her to consume alcohol and prepared a drink containing a mixture of wine and rum, insisting that she finish it despite her reluctance.

She claimed she began to feel very dizzy within minutes and repeatedly asked to leave the room, but was prevented from doing so, she claimed.

The complaint also details allegations of inappropriate physical contact during what Johray allegedly described as a bachata dance lesson. The woman alleged that he forcibly attracted her and made unwelcome advances while her physical condition deteriorated.

Over the next 20 to 30 minutes, she vomited several times and repeatedly asked to go home, according to the complaint. She further claimed that while she was throwing up in the bathroom, Johray entered and continued to touch her inappropriately.

The woman also accused him of forcing her into bed and pressuring her to stay overnight in a hotel room. She stated that she was physically weak, frightened and unable to resist, and finally left the hotel the following morning by bicycle taxi and returned home.

The complainant further alleged that Johray then further harassed her by making complaints against her which she said caused further mental anguish.

Police said the investigation is still ongoing. The allegations made in the FIR are the complainant’s version of events, while the accused has been granted bail pending trial.