Years before Rohit Chandel's POCSO arrest, his ex-girlfriend, Farnaz Shetty, publicly accused him of infidelity, allegations the television actor strongly denied.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleTelevision actor Rohit Chandel has landed in serious legal trouble after being arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act over allegations involving a 16-year-old girl. As the investigation unfolds, an earlier chapter from the actor's personal life has resurfaced, bringing renewed attention to his breakup with actress Farnaz Shetty.
Nearly three years before the latest controversy, Farnaz had publicly accused her Kashibai Bajirao Ballal co-star of infidelity, citing it as the cause of their breakup.
Rohit Chandel and Farnaz Shetty met on the sets of Kashibai Bajirao Ballal in 2022 and soon began dating. Their romance, however, lasted less than a year and the couple parted ways in a highly publicised split in early 2023. At that time, Farnaz had publicly accused Rohit of cheating, saying she caught him red handed with another girl. When the actress confronted him, he allegedly confessed to infidelity begged for forgiveness.
Speaking to The Times of India after the breakup, Farnaz claimed that trust issues had plagued their relationship from the beginning. "Conflicts arose soon after we started dating," she said. "Once, I caught him with another girl. He confessed to cheating on me and begged for forgiveness. Though I forgave him, I began to develop trust issues."
The actress further alleged that Rohit would often ignore her and even blocked her calls, and never took her to meet his parents. Being a one-man woman, such behaviour prompted her to end the relationship for good. The couple parted ways in March 2023. Farnaz told the outlet:
"Eventually, I ended the relationship in March. I couldn't tolerate the infidelity. I am old school and cannot be in an open relationship. I am a one-man woman and expect the same from my partner."
Rohit Chandel, however, firmly denied the allegations. He never publicly acknowledged whatever Farnaz alleged, maintaining that he had never been unfaithful in the relationship. Responding to the accusations, the Pandya Store star told TOI:
"I have never cheated on her. Farnaz accompanied me to my sister's wedding in my hometown. If I wasn't serious about our relationship, why would I make her meet my family? These allegations are false."
He instead suggested that his demanding work schedule had affected the relationship. He argued, "Most of my relationships suffer because when I am at work, I am only focused on it. I don't like being distracted. I guess that might have created some issues between us."
Though the accounts largely differed, neither side commented further about the matter, and their conflicting accounts remained unresolved.
Farnaz is a well-known face on Indian television, best known for her debut role in the breakout Hindi serial Dil Ki Nazar Se Khoobsurat. Born and brought up in Mumbai, she has played prominent roles in the Hindi and Telugu industries. Another prominent role in her career was as 'Gunjan Singh' in Ek Veer Ki Ardaas... Veera.
Over the years, she has appeared in several popular television shows, including Waaris, Suryaputra Karn, Siddhi Vinayak, Kahaan Hum Kahaan Tum, Swaraj and Kashibai Bajirao Ballal. She also ventured into films with her Bollywood debut in Battalion 609 (2019) before making her Telugu film debut with Induvadana in 2022.
The resurfaced breakup comes as Rohit faces serious criminal charges. According to Mumbai Police, the actor was arrested after a 16-year-old girl alleged that he repeatedly called her despite her objections and later confronted, verbally abused and physically assaulted her near her residence. Police have booked the actor under relevant sections of the POCSO Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Authorities have confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing.
As the legal process continues, it is important to note that the allegations against Rohit Chandel are yet to be tested in court, and no conviction has been recorded.
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