Old photo of B’wood veterans partying with sex offender Roman Polanski goes viral

Though Polanski is a celebrated director and producer, he is a convicted sex offender who fled the USA in 1978

Los Angeles: An old image of veteran Bollywood actors Vinod Khanna, Raj Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor and others has surfaced on social media, which shows them spending time with French-Polish director Roman Polanski.

What makes the picture disturbing is that though Polanski is a celebrated director and producer, he is a convicted sex offender who fled the USA in 1978.

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In 1977, Polanski was arrested for drugging and raping a 13-year-old girl. He was indicted on six counts of criminal behaviour, including rape. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of unlawful sex with a minor in exchange for a probation-only sentence.

The night before his sentencing hearing in 1978, he learned that the judge would likely reject the proffered plea bargain, so he fled the US and settled in Europe, where he continued his career. He remains a fugitive from the US justice system.

On September 26, 2009, he was arrested while in Switzerland. Polanski was defended by many prominent individuals, including Hollywood celebrities and European artists and politicians, who called for his release.

He was later jailed near Zurich for two months, then put under house arrest at his home in Gstaad while awaiting the results of his extradition appeals.

However, on July 12, 2010, the Swiss authorities rejected the US’ request and declared him a “free man” and released him from custody.

On 3 May 2018, Polanski was removed from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, with the decision referencing the case.