Actor Madhur Mittal, best known for his role in the Academy Award-winning film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, has been granted interim protection from arrest by a special court for crime against women.

The actor has been facing charges of sexual assault from his former girlfriend. An FIR under section 354, 354A, 354B, 509,323 of the IPC was filed against him at the Khar Police Station last month. He has, however, denied all charges against him and claimed that the reports were “assassinating my character” and were affecting his job prospects.

In an exclusive interview with Bombay Times, he said, “Getting to learn about things which are untrue is extremely disturbing. There have been WhatsApp messages filled with stories that are assassinating my character. These are being forwarded for weeks in casting directors’ groups denying me work. I’m the only earning member of my family since the age of seven and all these reports in the media are affecting me, my family and my career in more ways than you can imagine.”

Reportedly, Madhur’s former girlfriend met him in December last year and within two weeks, the actor had forced himself on her, under the influence of alcohol.

The victim’s lawyer stated that her client had parted ways with the actor two days before the assault. She added that Madhur strangled her client’s neck more than 15 times, slapped her, pulled her hair, yanked her ears, punched her under the right eye, lifted her and assaulted her.