New Delhi: On Thursday, a Mumbai magistrate's court granted bail to choreographer Ganesh Acharya, who was accused of sexual harassment. NV Bansal, a magistrate in the city's metropolitan area, gave him bail in the form of cash. For alleged sexual harassment, a First Information Report (FIR) was filed in February 2020 against the Bollywood choreographer. In 2020, the Oshiwara police station arrested the choreographer on suspicion of stalking, voyeurism, and sexual harassment.
According to the complainant, when she visited Acharya at his office in 2009-10, he compelled her to watch pornographic and filthy movies. She also claimed that he made obscene remarks and touched other women in the workplace.
On January 26, 2020, the complainant claims that Acharya and two others attacked her at a gathering of the Indian Film and Television Choreographers Association in Andheri. She claimed afterwards that the Indian Film and Television Choreographers Association (IFTCA) has also terminated her membership.
On the basis of the complaints, the Maharashtra police have charged Ganesh under Indian Penal Code sections 354-A (sexual harassment), 354-C (watching or recording the image of a woman engaging in a private act), 354-D (stalking), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman). After that, the choreographer responded by denying all of the charges and labelling them as "baseless."
The fact that Ganesh Acharya has been accused of harassment before is noteworthy. Earlier, actress Tanushree Dutta slammed the choreographer for circulating rumours against her and tarnishing her image.