Prosecutors drop some charges against Indian-born designer

Silicon Valley, Aug 29 (PTI) Prosecutors in Los Angeles
have dropped half of the criminal counts in the sexual assault
case against celebrity Indian-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
get under way in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

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.

Jon is a well-known figure in the celebrity fashion world
who 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.

The alleged incidents occurred from August 2000 to March
5, 2007, prosecutors said. Many of the alleged assaults were
said to have occurred in Jon's Beverly Hills condominium. PTI