Prosecutors in Los Angeles have dropped half of the criminal counts in the sexual assault case against celebrity India-born fashion designer Anand Jon.
The decision to strike the counts, involving 10 of the 20 alleged victims, was made just as jury selection was set to start in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Anand Jon's sister pleads for justice
Prosecutors with the LA County district attorney's office said they still have a very strong case against 34-year-old Jon, the Los Angeles Times reported.
"These are the victims that prosecutors are electing to proceed with at this time," said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office, adding that lawyers for the other alleged victims could move to reinstate the charges during trial.
Family, friends rally for Anand Jon in Mumbai
Jon is a well-known figure in the celebrity fashion world and has designed clothes for Paris Hilton, singer Mary J Blige and others. He was involved in the show 'America's Next Top Model' and was planning to star in a reality TV show for VH1 about the fashion world.
The charges against Jon include forcible rape, lewd acts upon a child, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, sexual battery by restraint and attempted forcible oral copulation.
Designer Anand Jon indicted on 59 rape charges
The alleged incidents occurred from August 2000 to March 5, 2007, prosecutors said. Many of the alleged assaults reportedly occurred in Jon's Beverly Hills condominium.
