Tanushree Dutta-Nana Patekar row: Maharashtra Women Commission slaps notice on Patekar, Ganesh Acharya; seeks reply in 10 days

Patekar and others have been asked by the State Commission for Women to file their replies within 10 days.

Images: Social media

New Delhi: As the #MeToo campaign gains momentum in India following the allegation of sexual misconduct leveled by Tanushree Dutta against prominent actor Nana Patekar, the Maharashtra Commission for Women took cognisance of the charges leveled by the actress. The State Commission for Women, Maharashtra on Tuesday issued a notice to actor Nana Patekar in connection with the allegation leveled by Tanushree. The Commission has also slapped notices on film director Rakesh Sarang and choreographer Ganesh Acharya among others. Patekar and others have been asked by the State Commission for Women to file their replies within 10 days, reported news agency ANI.

#NanaPatekar and others have been asked by Maharashtra State Commission for Woman to file their replies within next 10 days. #TanushreeDutta

— ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2018

The panel has also sought an update of investigation into the police complaint filed by Tanushree Dutta and has asked her to visit the office to record her statement. Nana Patekar on Monday maintained his stand that he did not misbehave with actor Tanushree Dutta on the sets of a 2008 film and dismissed her allegations as a "lie". "I said this 10 years ago too. What was true then remains true today. My legal team has asked me not to speak. Otherwise why will I not speak to you guys," Patekar told reporters. The 67-year-old actor's lawyer has sent a legal notice to Dutta for allegedly making false accusations against him in an incident that dates back to a decade. Dutta has also filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police against Patekar, choreographer Ganesh Acharya and the director and producer of the 2008 film. In the wake of the campaign where several women are coming up with their stories of encounters with different forms of harassment, the National Commission of Women too is in the progress of gathering detailed information of various sexual harassment allegations that have come to light in media. ANI quoted the commission as saying that it is personally reaching out to the victims via telephone. The Commission will give a statement on Wednesday. Editors Guild of India also issued a statement on 'incidents of sexual harassment on women journalists by male colleagues' stating that it calls upon media organisations to hold unbiased inquiries into all reported cases. Anybody found guilty of sexual harassment/assault should be punished, the news agency tweeted with the copy of the statement.

Editors Guild of India issues a statement on 'incidents of sexual harassment on women journalists by male colleagues'; states 'It calls upon media orgs to hold unbiased inquiries into all reported cases. Anybody found guilty of sexual harassment/assault should be punished' #MeToo pic.twitter.com/RO1xpwy450

— ANI (@ANI) October 9, 2018