Former Bollywood actress Tanushree Dutta on Saturday filed a police complaint against veteran actor Nana Patekar for allegedly sexually harassing her on the sets of a film in 2008, police said.
According to the complaint, Tanushree has also complained against choreographer Ganesh Acharya, producer Samee Siddiqui, director Rakesh Sarang and MNS party workers. It has been submitted to the Oshiwara police station.
She narrated the incident which took place on the sets of “Horn Ok Pleassss” in 2008, when she had made it clear that she wouldn’t perform any vulgar steps.
“Nana Patekar’s behaviour was inappropriate towards me, he was on the set despite (the fact) his work in the song was over. He grabbed me by the arm and pushed me towards him around on the pretext of teaching me how to dance,” read the complaint.
“When he was touching me indecently and unnecessary I felt very uncomfortable because of his behaviour, I felt he has outraged my modesty,” the letter read.
Dutta even complained to the choreographer, producer and director hoping some action would be taken and everything would be fine.
But to her surprise, new steps were introduced by Acharya, which were intimate and included Patekar touching her inappropriately, she alleged.
She had first spoken out about it in 2008 itself, but says her voice was suppressed by those in power.
On his part, Nana had denied the accusation even back then, and on Saturday, on being confronted by the media, he said he had answered the questions about it 10 years ago.
Denying the allegation, Nana said, “Jhooth toh jhooth hi hai (a lie is a lie).”
Nana, who has already sent Tanushree a legal notice, will address a press conference on Monday.
According to Dutta’s advocate Nitin Satpute, the actor will be giving a statement to the police on Sunday.
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“We have filed a police complaint, they are investigating the matter and tomorrow (Sunday) they have called her (Dutta) for recording her statement,” Satpute told PTI.
He added that a similar complaint had been filed by the actor back in 2008 as well.
In a letter, Dutta said that she lodged her complaint for the registration of FIR under Sections 354, 354 (A), Section 34 and Section 509 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
(With agency inputs)