Sanjana in city to fight for brother Anand

3 Jan 2008, 0000 hrs IST,AFSANA AHMED ,Times of India

The fashion world might have given up on Indian-born, LA-based designer Anand Jon who is behind bars after several charges of rape and molestation were levelled against him last year.

But not designer sister Sanjana. The new year has brought her down to Mumbai. And from here, she intends to wage a war against the legal system in US that has done in her celebrity brother who once dressed the likes of Paris Hilton, Janet Jackson and Bruce Springsteen.

“I had immense faith in the American legal system but increasingly, I find things are getting murkier,” admitted Sanjana to BT yesterday. “I am here to appeal for my brother, not just as a sister, but as an Indian. He is being majorly victimised and discriminated there because of his colour,” alleged Sanjana.

Her only hope, now, appears to be Mumbai-based criminal lawyer Majeed Memon who believes the facts and circumstances of the case hint at a conspiracy by some powerful people in the US to ruin the hard-earned reputation by the talented Indian. “The possibility of racial discrimination cannot be wholly ruled out at this stage,” added Memon. “However, since our fight is primarily against the hurling of false, unsubstantiated and irresponsible allegations with extralegal motivation, we shall exercise constraint before accusing anyone and get to the bottom of the truth.”

Of the charges levelled against her brother, Sanjana said, “Being a woman, I will support and do anything for a rape victim. But if the woman is lying for selfish intention, then she needs to be thoroughly punished. And I have enough material to prove that Anand is increasingly getting buried in lie after lie. He is tied to the wall with a chain. His civil rights have been taken away. What sort of justice is this?”

According to her, an attempted kiss in greeting here and a touch there while taking measurements have been trumped up into rape charges. “Some of the girls who have filed charges against Anand have hung out and partied with us even after their alleged ‘rapes’ of five years ago. Isn’t that ridiculous,” asked Sanjana.

She believes Anand’s success, the funding of his company, and Wall Steet Journal evaluating the business at $10 million has made all the ‘victims’ greedy.

(Article appeared in Times of India)