A manhunt has been launched for the owner of a production house Jerrit G John, who allegedly threw hazardous chemical on his former physiotherapist girlfriend at her residence in central Mumbai, police said today.
According to police, John, 46, who owns production house named- 'No Nonsense' and has produced-directed television serials, flung the chemical at the 26-year-old victim, Aryanka Hosbetkar, who is also an international cyclist, at her residence at Adarsh Colony in Worli on Wednesday.
Hosbetkar had returned from a cycling expedition in the morning and was with her friends when John carried out the attack, police said.
The accused dragged Aryanka upstairs and allegedly flung the chemical on her face as her shocked mother and friends watched.
She was later taken to a private hospital where she was treated and discharged on Thursday. According to police, John, who also cycles regularly, has worked as a creative consultant with TV channels, some ad filmmakers and has also been associated with a few Bollywood movies.
The two were facing problems in their 10-month-old relationship after Hosbetkar came to know that John was married with a five-year-old son.
The police have formed two teams to trace the accused. They have also collected chemical samples from the victim's residence, which would be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory at Kalina.
John has been booked for causing grievous injury and also for theft and wrongful confinement, as he allegedly snatched away Hosbetkar's phone and locked her up after attacking her, police said.
A police team which visited John's residence at Vashi and his office at Carter Road found both were closed.
