Mumbai: The Maharashta State Commission for Women is still waiting for actor Tanushree Datta to appear for inquiries, over a month after she filed a complaint with the Commission.
Ms. Dutta’s lawyer Nitin Satpute had on October 9 filed a complaint with the Commission, in which he had detailed the actor’s allegations against actor Nana Patekar, director Rakesh Sarang, producer Samee Siddiqui, and choreographer Ganesh Acharya.
Mr. Patekar is alleged to have sexually harassed her on the sets of 2008 movie Horn OK Pleasss . The Oshiwara police had on October 12 registered an FIR against the four accused.
According to Commission officials, after receiving Ms. Dutta’s complaint, notices were issued to her and the four accused. While Ms. Dutta was asked to visit the Commission office personally and talk to one of the counsellors, the four were asked to file a reply to the allegations. All the five were directed to respond within 10 days of the notices.
“We had asked the complainant to come down personally at least once so that inquires can be made with them. It is only on the basis of these inquiries that we proceed with further action. We had directed Ms. Dutta to appear by October 19, but she is yet to do so, or even send a response to the notice,” an official with the Commission told The Hindu .
The official said the Commission grants leeway of a few days to all parties as notices, which are sent by post, sometimes tend to get delayed.
Mr. Satpute could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, Mr. Patekar, through his lawyer Aniket Nikam, had on October 19 filed a reply to the Commission’s notice, denying all the allegations. Mr. Nikam confirmed that the reply had been sent, and said, “All the allegations against my client are baseless and far from the truth.”
