After Richa Chadha filed a defamation case against actor Payal Ghosh and she refused to publicly apologise to the actor, the Bombay High court on Monday granted two days for them to settle the matter in court. Payal Ghosh has agreed to apologise to Chadha but on a condition that she will not file any further criminal charges against her after the settlement.
The Fukrey star Chadha sought interim and permanent relief against Ghosh, who in September had accused filmmaker Anurag Kashyap of sexual assault and mentioned her name in interviews while talking about the alleged incident, according to a report by Live Law. Ghosh had further alleged that other Bollywood actresses had also experienced the same with Kashyap. Subsequently. Chadha filed a case based on the “defamatory statement” made against her in an interview and claimed Rs 1.1 crore damages.
Will Payal Ghosh apologise to Richa Chadha?
Ghosh’s lawyer had earlier stated that she will be withdrawing her previous statement against Chadha to settle this matter. But she later refused to do so. Chadha shared a copy of the Bombay High Court order, writing that she had “won”. She had also underlined the highlighted words that read: “withdrawing her statements” and “an unconditional apology”.
On the last hearing date on Monday, Ghosh's lawyer, however, argued in court that she was ready to withdraw her statements but "the plaintiff (Richa Chadha) is already saying in media that she has won the case. This is not good. She should not make media statements", Live Law reported.
Her lawyer further told the judge, “After the last hearing, Ms Chadha made certain statements to the media saying she has won the case. That resulted in Ms Ghosh being trolled on social media. But she would like to settle the matter." Reportedly, the court ordered both the parties to talk to each other instead of “others” and file the consent terms at the earliest.
Ghosh's appeal to PM Modi
Earlier on Twitter, Ghosh requested PM Narendra Modi to save her These mafia gang will kill me sir @PMOIndia @narendramodi sir @sharmarekha ma’am and will prove my death as suicide or something else 🙏🏼
— Payal Ghosh (@iampayalghosh) October 10, 2020 " These mafia gang will kill me, sir, @PMOIndia @narendramodi sir @sharmarekha ma’am and will prove my death as suicide or something else."
She also appealed to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind recently to take action against Kashyap who has been accused of sexual misconduct. In a letter posted on her social media account, she alleged that "Justice is being delayed" in her case and she fears that it "might just as well be denied".
Also Read: Payal Ghosh says Anurag Kashyap ‘forced himself on me’ Smriti Irani makes statement
Reportedly, earlier Chadha had also told the court that the loss to her “reputation’’ is “irreparable’’ and “continuous’’ as she had “suffered tremendous humiliation and stress’’ and hence she had craved leave of the court to increase the damages later if required. She had however said that the “quantum of damages’’ may be increased due to “continue effects’’ of the “defamatory acts.’’
Chadha found support from her fellow Bollywood actresses including Swara Bhasker and Huma Qureshi, whose name was also mentioned by Ghosh in her earlier statement.
The next hearing of this case is on October 14.
Read More Stories By Ria Das
/shethepeople/media/agency_attachments/iUYfaBbcMozaYLoGnoov.png)
Follow Us/shethepeople/media/post_banners/5b4MHHdt3lQSYFjF7UlM.jpg)