Television actor Rohit Chandel arrested for stalking and harrassment of minor

Actor Rohit Chandel, known for "Sairaab" and "Pandya Store", was arrested by Mumbai Police on July 10, 2026. The charges are prolonged harassment, stalking and physical assault of a 16-year-old minor girl.

Reports say the Mumbai Police nabbed Chandel after the complainant, a resident of Mumbai's eastern suburbs, stated that the actor made repeated phone calls to her from December 2025 to July 7, 2026, via multiple numbers. Even after she strongly objected, the actor allegedly continued to contact her by switching between his personal phone number and multiple alternative mobile numbers to avoid being blocked.

Things escalated when the harassment turned physical: Chandel allegedly cornered the girl outside her housing society, chased her down, initiated a loud verbal dispute, used abusive language, and physically assaulted her by hitting her multiple times with his hands.

The FIR, registered at Mumbai's Pant Nagar Police Station, invokes specific provisions of newly updated Indian laws alongside child protective laws:

- Section 12 of the POCSO Act, which specifically covers the sexual harassment of a child
- Section 78 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), for the criminal offence of stalking
- Section 115(2) of the BNS, for voluntarily causing hurt
- Section 352 of the BNS, for criminal intimidation and intentional insult

Chandel was tracked and arrested at his residence in Dahisar. According to a Times of India report, officials have confirmed that the actor and the victim were previously acquainted.

Chandel was produced before a Special POCSO Court, which remanded him into police custody to allow law enforcement officers to conduct technical surveillance and verify data from his mobile phone logs. As of today, neither Chandel nor his legal representation has released a public statement regarding the allegations.