Pooja Bedi, who has been a vocal advocate for women's empowerment, strongly reacted to TV actress Shilpa Shinde's shocking revelation, after she shared that she had filed a false sexual harassment case against Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain producer Sanjay Kohli, which was initiated because she felt she had no other option during her dispute with the show's producers. After her statement, she faced massive backlash on social media.
Pooja Bedi Lashes Out At Shilpa Shinde
Speaking to Variety India, Pooja said that women who weaponise laws meant to safeguard victims for reasons such as revenge, personal gain, leverage, publicity, or malice are betraying the very purpose for which those laws were created. "False accusations not only destroy innocent lives but also make it harder for genuine survivors to be believed. Such misuse of the law is unacceptable and must carry serious consequences," she added.
Further, Pooja said she believes incidents involving false allegations can set back the movement for equality by several years.
'False Allegations Not Only Harm Innocent Individuals...'
"When false allegations are made, they not only harm innocent individuals but also undermine the credibility of women who come forward with legitimate complaints.Justice must protect the innocent as fiercely as it supports the vulnerable," she added.
What Shilpa Shinde Said
Appearing on Bharti Singh's podcast Bharti TV, Shilpa said, "Nobody knows this, I am not scared of saying the truth, and I will still say that what I am saying is a big thing maine apne producer ke upar sexual harassment ka case kar diya tha kyun ki mere pass koi raasta nahi tha, aur tab main uss main se nikli hoon settle hoke."
Shilpa stated that no producer supported him at the time, and she filed the case on that basis. She further admitted that the allegations were false, saying this was the first time she was publicly confessing it. She added that she and the producer eventually reached a settlement, following which the payment that had been pending for three months was cleared.
Shilpa also revealed that relations between her and the makers have improved significantly over the years.
As of now, Shilpa Shinde has not yet officially reacted to the backlash.
