The Cine and TV Artists Association on Tuesday said it would send actor Alok Nath a show-cause notice after writer-producer Vinta Nanda accused the “most Sanskaari person”, as the actor is known in the industry, of raping her more than once 19 years ago. Ms. Nanda, best known for the TV show Tara , gave a detailed account of the alleged assaults in a lengthy Facebook post on Monday night.
She did not name Mr. Nath but referred to her attacker as “the most Sanskaari (cultured) person”, a sobriquet attached with the actor courtesy his on-screen image.
Ms. Nanda alleged that Mr. Nath sexually assaulted her on more than one occasion after he was fired from the show in 1993 for misbehaving with its lead actor, Navneet Nishan. Ms. Nishan has supported Ms. Nanda’s allegations while confirming the harassment she faced at the hands of the actor, though she did not name him.
Actor Richa Chadha was one of many people on Twitter who named Mr. Nath as the person mentioned in Ms. Nanda’s post. “#AlokNath,” wrote Chadha in response to the account. Ms. Nanda's post comes alongside several such allegations of sexual assault and misconduct in the media industry made on social media under the #MeToo movement.
Show-cause notice to be sent
CINTAA general secretary Sushant Singh extended his support to Ms. Nanda.
“Dear @vintananda I am so so sorry. As @CintaaOfficial a show-cause notice will be sent to @aloknath first thing in the morning, why he shouldn’t be expelled. Unfortunately we’ve to follow the due process. I urge you to file a complaint against this vile creature, we extend you full support,” he wrote.
In her post, Ms. Nanda says that she had gone to Mr. Nath’s house for a party, which was also attended by several of their common friends. She alleges that later, while taking her home in his car, he poured alcohol in her mouth and then assaulted her.
Ms. Nanda has alleged that when she told her friends about the incident she was asked to keep mum and forget about it.
She add that she was violated again when she went to his house while working on a new television series.After the second attack, she quit. “I was completely shattered by then,” Ms. Nanda said.
Mr. Nath is famous for shows and films such as Buniyaad , Hum Aapke Hain Koun! and Hum Saath Saath Hain.
