#MeToo: Nana Patekar responds to CINTAA, dubs allegations as ‘baseless’

Mumbai: Bollywood veteran actor Nana Patekar‘s advocate Aniket U. Nikam has sent a detailed response to Cine and TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) over the notice issued against his client based on the sexual misconduct allegations made by Tanushree Dutta. The response stated that the allegations levelled against Patekar by Dutta are baseless, unsubstantial, false and far from the actual truth.

“My client denies to the baseless and unsubstantiated allegations, insinuation levelled by Dutta against my client and nothing contained therein shall be deemed to have been admitted and accepted unless specifically done so,” Nikam stated. “My client states that the entire allegations levelled against my client are not only unfounded and baseless but the same are false and far from the truth. My client has been unnecessarily subjected to mental harassment due to the motivated and malicious vilification campaign undertaken against my client,” the statement from Patekar’s advocate further read.

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The advocate went on to defend Patekar in the statement by citing his contribution to the Indian cinema as well as his social work and charities. “The false allegations levelled against my client have immensely affected his reputation beyond repair and your organization should not entertain such groundless and baseless accusations particularly when such allegations are levelled after almost a decade,” he added.

According to the statement, the FIR lodged was based on the objection to one scene and not to any conduct of Patekar. “My client further states that in the year 2008 father of Dutta had lodged an FIR with Goregaon Police Station wherein it was alleged that Dutta informed her father that she did not like one scene with Nana Patekar and she requested the choreographer to change that scene however the choreographer did not agree to the same. It is pertinent to note that in the said FIR the objection was to the scene and not to any conduct of my client.” The statement also claimed that Patekar is in the process to take appropriate legal measures against Tanushree Dutta for maligning his image in public.

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CINTAA had earlier expressed regret for not paying adequate heed to the complaint filed by Tanushree Dutta against Nana Patekar and others in 2008. Amit Behl, senior joint secretary of CINTAA, had claimed that the 34-year-old actor would now have to file a new complaint for them to act upon the matter.

Tanushree has alleged that Patekar misbehaved with her on the sets of ‘Horn Ok Pleasss’ in 2008 while shooting for a special dance number for the movie, and filed an FIR against the ‘Welcome’ star. An FIR has also been lodged against director Rakesh Sarang, producer Sami Siddiqui and choreographer Ganesh Acharya under Sections 354 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The ‘Me Too’ movement gained momentum in India after Dutta came forward and took a stand against Nata Patekar. Since then, scores of women have come out to speak about their ordeals on social media, including actors, musicians, journalists, and politicos. Over the last week, women have leveled allegations of sexual misconduct against Subhash Ghai, Alok Nath, Kailash Kher, Chetan Bhagat, Sajid Khan, and Varun Grover, among various others.