Richa Chadha initiated legal action against Payal Ghosh, filing a defamation suit against the actress for Rs 1.1 crore in damages. As per reports, she also mentioned a news channel in the suit for alleged “defamatory statements’’ made against her in an interview.
Richa Chadha is seeking 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.
Payal Ghosh, in an interview with ABN Telugu went on to say, “I went to meet him (Anurag Kashyap) and the next day when he took me to the other room, he opened his zip and tried to force his c**k inside my v****a by opening nada of my salwar kameez. He said it was okay and all the actresses who worked with him such as Huma Qureshi, Richa Chadha, Mahi Gill, they are just a call away.”
In response, Richa Chadha has sought an order from the Bombay High Court for restraining Ghosh from making such statements or “using her name in any defamatory manner whatsoever, in relation to any disputes between Ghosh and filmmaker Anurag Kashyap.’’ She has also sought the withdrawal of such videos and tweets, besides demanding an apology on Twitter and other websites.
Richa Chadha releases her statement
As per a report in Mumbai Mirror, the petition states that Payal Ghosh's defamatory statements had continued despite her sending a legal notice to the actor. After the Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi actress, Ghosh levied these allegations against Kashyap, Chadha had issued a statement, condemning the act of her name being dragged into allegations raised by third parties “unnecessarily” and “falsely”. She had added that though “genuinely wronged women” should get justice at all cost, “some legislations are intended to ensure that women have equal standing in their workplace and to ensure that they have a cordial workplace in which their dignity and self-respect is protected.”
Read her statement here:
“No woman should misuse their liberties to harass other women with unsubstantiated or non-existent, false and baseless allegations. Our Client has initiated appropriate legal action and shall further pursue her legal rights and remedies in law as may be advised in her best interest. Sd/- Adv Saveena Bedi Sachar, Lawhive Associates,” it had continued.
Reportedly, Chadha 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 has craved leave of the court to increase the damages later if required. She has however said that the “quantum of damages’’ may be increased due to “continue effects’’ of the “defamatory acts.’’
FIR against Anurag Kashyap
Reportedly, Payal Ghosh filed an FIR against Anurag Kashyap last week at the Versova Police Station in Mumbai and alleged that he “stripped off in front of her and tried to molest her." Later, the actress’ lawyer revealed that “an FIR has been lodged against accused of the offense rape, wrongful restrain, wrongful confinement and outraging the modesty of woman — U/S 376(1), 354, 341, 342 of IPC.” The Mumbai Police also summoned the filmmaker for questioning.
Also Read: Payal Ghosh says Anurag Kashyap ‘forced himself on me’ Smriti Irani makes statement
Later, Kashyap's lawyer Priyanka Khimani released a statement on behalf of the filmmaker stating that Kashyap has denied all the allegations by providing "documentary proof" of the fact that during that time he was not in India for a month. He was in Sri Lanka for the shooting. The statement read, "In an FIR registered with the Versova Police Station, the actress has alleged that in August 2013, my client, Anurag Kashyap, called her to his house and sexually harassed her. My client presented himself for questioning before the investigating authority on October 1, 2020."
Kashyap's lawyer further provided materials in support of his statement, "demonstrates that the complaint of Payal Ghosh is an outright lie."
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