Mumbai: On Friday, Bollywood actress Tanushree Dutta issued a statement through her advocate Nitin Satpute, saying that Nana Patekar has not been issued a clean chit by Oshiwara Police. Many reports had earlier claimed Patekar was let off by the police as no eyewitness could not support Tanushree Dutta’s accusations, but senior police inspector of Oshiwara police station rebuffed any such development and said investigation was underway.
Advocate Satpute said in a media briefing that Patekar was not given any clean chit in the sexual harassment case registered against the veteran actor by his client, Dutta. “According to the police procedure, no clean chit can be given orally and there is a dedicated system in place where the accused and complainant would be summoned, asking if there is any opposition from either party for a clean chit. Only after this procedure can a summary report be filed pertaining to the case,” said Satpute.
After the rumours began spreading about Patekar getting a clean chit in the case, Satpute said they would move an application to police authority to find out who had spread such rumours. “After a case was registered against the accused, he had lost a few acting assignments as many filmmakers refused to work with actors accused of sexual harassment allegations amid #MeToo movement.
Recently another actor, who was accused of similar allegations got an acting job and the accused tried to gain sympathy by claiming he got a clean chit,” said Satpute. Actor Nana Patekar did not respond to the repeated calls made to him to comment on the matter.
Last year Dutta had accused Patekar of behaving inappropriately with her on the sets of her film Horn Ok Pleassss. She said that he tried to forcefully introduce intimate steps into the choreography of a special song in the film and choreographer Ganesh Acharya had stepped aside ‘obediently’ obliged.
Dutta then walked out of the film and Rakhi Sawant replaced her in the song. In October 2018, she filed an FIR against Patekar and the investigation is still underway. When contacted the complainant, Tanushree Dutta, she said, “The investigation has been slow due to constant threat calls made by the accused’s side, due to which many key witnesses from our side have been unable to record their statement in fear and intimidation.
False witnesses have been presented in their place to mislead the investigation. Under such circumstances what manner of investigation or justice is possible? But I still have hope that no matter how long it takes.”The actress claims the accused’s sole intention was to hamper investigation. Following such publicity stunts, Dutta’s advocate, Nitin Satpute will soon move application accusing him of misleading and interfering in investigation.
He said, “Over 15 witnesses have been examined, but not all of them have narrated the real facts. We will soon ask the court to allow a narco test and polygraph test of key witnesses, which will provide clarity in the situation.”
