MUMBAI - A police complaint has been filed against item girl Rakhi Sawant and five others for infringement of copyright regarding NDTV’s reality show Rakhi Ka Swayamvar. The channel has promised to defend the actress as well as itself.

Gaurav Tiwari, the Jaipur-based owner of the web portal swayamvar.com, Tuesday filed a complaint against Rakhi, actor Ravi Kissen and a top official of the channel apart from others, for allegedly stealing the concept of a marriage-based TV reality show for Rakhi Ka Swayamvar from his portal.

An official statement by the channel says Tiwari had earlier filed a suit against them in a district court in Jaipur but the court refused to grant him any relief.

He appealed against the order in the High Court, which also refused to grant him any interim relief, including his demand that the show not be telecast, according to the channel.

“Now that there are press reports of him having filed a criminal complaint, we shall make the necessary enquiries, and proceed to defend the matter as may be advised to us, said the statement from the channel.

“It is not unusual in our industry for litigation around successful shows — there have been several instances of frivolous litigations filed across the country around movies and television programmers to impact their launch or telecast, resulting in press publicity for the complainant.

“Our position is that everything involving the creation and ownership of the show is legally above board, and we believe that the allegations are false and malicious and intended to defame our company, added the statement.

The show Rakhi Ka Swayamvar, through which Rakhi decided to find her life partner, is in its last leg now.

She will be tying the knot with her chosen groom Sunday in the presence of family, friends as well as officials from the channel.