Articles by "Sexual Harassment"
New Delhi, Oct 15 (PTI) In its first comments on the sexual harassment allegations against Union minister M J Akbar, the BJP said Monday he has given his version on the row and that it is not about whether the party agrees or disagrees with him.Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao was asked at a press conference whether the ruling party agrees with Akbar on his statement on the allegations levelled against him by several women."It is not about agreeing or disagreeing. He has presented his version," Rao said.The Minister of State of External Affairs had Sunday rejected the allegations as "false, fabricated and deeply distressing" and said he was taking appropriate legal action against the accusers.BJP leaders and spokespersons had so far maintained a studied silence on the issue amid an increasing demand for the minister to quit his position.Some woman Union minister have supported the #MeToo movement, which has encouraged women in different fields to come out with their stories of sexual harassment by men in powerful position over the years.
New Delhi, Oct 15 (PTI) The Youth Congress activists Monday staged a protest near the residence of Union minister MJ Akbar, demanding his "immediate resignation" over allegations of sexual misconduct by several female journalists.The activists gathered at Teen Murti roundabout raised slogans against the junior foreign minister and tried to march towards his residence when they were stopped by the police. A few protesters who tried to march ahead towards police barricades were removed."The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) is protesting against MJ Akbar for his sexual misconduct and harassment of journalists. As many as ten female journalists have come forward and detailed sexual harassment by him," said a statement of the outfit.The ruling coalition of NDA led by the BJP which had made tall promises of " Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" cannot and must not be allowed to shield a man of "questionable conduct," it said.
Mumbai, Oct 15 (PTI) Veteran action director Sham Kaushal, who has been accused of sexual misconduct, Monday issued an apology, saying he has always tried to be a good person in his personal and professional life.
Writer Mahima Kukreja Sunday shared an account by an assistant director, named Nameeta Parekh, who has alleged that Kaushal invited her to his room for drinks when they were on an outdoor shoot in 2006 and when she declined, he began persuading her and even showed pornographic video on his phone.Kaushal, who has films such as "Gangs of Wasseypur" and "Dangal" to his credit, took to Twitter to share his statement. The action director said he had read the allegations made against him by some crew member."Ever since I have been working in this industry I have tried my best to be a good human being professionally and personally, never wishing to hurt or disrespect anyone. I have read the allegations made against me by some crew members. "If I have unintentionally caused any hurt or anguish, I unconditionally apologise to the ladies, to the production houses and each and every member of the film fraternity," Kaushal wrote.Kaushal's is the latest name from Bollywood to surface in the ever-growing list of people such as Sajid Khan, Subhash Ghai and Alok Nath, who have been 'outed' on social media on allegations ranging from sexual misconduct, harassment to rape.
Mumbai, Oct 13 (PTI) Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has distanced himself from his "Gangs of Wasseypur" casting director Mukesh Chhabra, who has been accused of sexual harassment, saying he had "cut-off" ties with the him way back. Kashyap's response came after a Twitter used tagged him in a post saying the filmmaker had shared with her that he is planning to reveal the stories of Chhabra's "misogynistic ways". "So @anuragkashyap72 told me recently that if no one speaks out about @CastingChhabra and his misogynistic ways he will. He also said he has cut off all ties with Chhabra. Im holding you to this @anuragkashyap72 . Waiting. #metoo #timesup," the user wrote. In his reply, Kashyap said he does not have any evidence of misconduct against the well-known casting director. "I neither have any #MeToo stories nor evidence about mukesh Chhabra. I cut-off ties with him for lot's of reasons related to casting and reasons that I don't feel the need to put out in public domain," he tweeted.Kashyap has recently been under fire for inaction in Vikas Bahl sexual harassment case.Last year, a woman employee at Phantom Films, which had Bahl as one of the partners along side Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena, had levelled allegations of molestation against Bahl, who she said behaved inappropriately during a trip to Goa.In a recent article in Huffpost India, the woman has reiterated the allegations, sharing further details about the incident.According to the report, in October 2015, the woman reached out to Kashyap and detailed her experience, but no action was taken while Bahl continued to harass her until she finally quit the company. Kashyap said he was "ill-advised" in the matter by his lawyers.Apart from "Wasseypur" series, Chhabra has done casting for Kashyap's "Ugly" and "Bombay Velvet". In a latest report published on Mid-Day, four aspiring actors have accused Chhabra and another casting director Vicky Sidana of harassing them during audition process. Chhabra has denied the "unsubstantiated wild anonymous allegations" in a letter posted on his Twitter handle. "It is very unfortunate that years of hard work and building is been muzzled with a series of unsubstantiated wild anonymous allegations. To put it into perspective, we have a ICC committee put into the place for years and we could have appreciated if the complaint received could have been forwarded to the said committee for probe and investigation," the letter read. "This is a clearly motivated piece and we deny any incident as alleged took place," it further read. Chabbra is known for working on films such as "Dangal", "Rockstar", "Shahid" and "Kai Po Che!" among others.
Mumbai, Oct 12 (PTI) Farah Khan Friday said the sexual harassment allegations against her filmmaker brother Sajid Khan are "heartbreaking".In a statement, posted on Twitter, the director-choreographer, said she completely stands in solidarity with any woman who has faced harassment. "This is a heartbreaking time for my family. We have to work through some very difficult issues. If my brother has behaved in this manner, he has a lot to atone for. I don't in any way endorse this behaviour and stand in solidarity with any woman who has been hurt," she wrote.Sajid was accused of sexual harassment by two women -- actor Saloni Chopra and a journalist.Following the allegations, Sajid Friday stepped down as the director of "Housefull 4". In a post on Twitter, the director said he was taking the "moral responsibility" to step down till he can allay the allegations."In the wake of the allegations against me and the pressure being put on my family, my producer and the stars of my film 'Housefull 4', I must take the moral responsibility of stepping down from my directorial post, till the time I can allay the allegations and prove the truth.. Request my friends in the media to kindly not pass judgment till the truth is out," he said.Sajid's cousin, actor Farhan Akhtar, who has been a vocal supporter of #MeToo movement, said allegations against the filmmaker were shocking."I cannot adequately stress how shocked, disappointed and heartbroken I am to read the stories about Sajid's behaviour. I don't know how but he will have to find a way to atone for his alleged actions," he tweeted.
Mumbai, Oct 12 (PTI) Director Sajid Khan Friday announced his departure from "Housefull 4" in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment against him by two women.
In a post on Twitter, Sajid said he was taking the "moral responsibility" to step down till he can allay the allegations.
"In the wake of the allegations against me and the pressure being put on my family, my producer and the stars of my film 'Housefull 4', I must take the moral responsibility of stepping down from my directorial post, till the time I can allay the allegations and prove the truth.. Request my friends in the media to kindly not pass judgment till the truth is out," he said.His departure comes following sexual harassment allegations made by actor Saloni Chopra and a journalist.The film's lead star Akshay Kumar also announced that the film's shooting has been put on hold for now."I've just landed back in the country last night and reading all the news has been very disturbing. I've requested the producers of Housefull 4 to cancel the shoot until further investigation," he wrote. "This is something that requires stringent action. I will not work with any proven offenders and all those who have been subjugated to harassment should be heard and given the justice they deserve," the 51-year-old actor added.Akshay's wife Twinkle was first to ask the film's cast to a "firm stand" on the allegations against the director."Appalled hearing multiple incidents of harassment and it is truly horrific to hear what these women have been through. Everyone involved in Housefull needs to take a firm stance on this issue. This cannot go on," she wrote on Twitter.The film also stars Nana Patekar, who was the first celebrity to be accused of harassment by actor Tanushree Dutta a fortnight ago.He has denied the allegation and the matter is sub judice. Dutta's revelations have sparked what media is terming as India's #MeToo movement, where journalists, actors and professionals have taken to social media to talk about workplace harassment.
Mumbai, Oct 11 (PTI) Actor Deepika Amin has claimed Alok Nath's reputation of an alcoholic and a harasser was common knowledge in the Hindi film and television industry.Amin, who recently worked with Nath in "Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety", said several years ago the actor tried to "barge into her room" when they were shooting outdoors for a telefilm."Everyone in the industry knows that #AlokNath is an obnoxious drunkard who harasses women. Years ago on a telefilm outdoor shoot he tried to barge into my room. He slobbered over women, drunk and created a scene."The unit rallied around me and made sure I was safe. I was quite young but I still remember vividly how horrible he was," she wrote on Facebook Tuesday.Amin, however, added that Nath came across "quiet and subdued" while filming "Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety"."Maybe he has changed? Maybe because the director Luv Ranjan made it clear he wouldn't tolerate bad behaviour." The actor said after "Tara" writer-producer Vinta Nanda came forward with her story, she was motivated to stand up for her."But after reading Vinta Nanda's heartbreaking account I felt I had to support her. BELIEVE WOMEN. They have everything to lose by speaking out," Amin wrote.Actor Sandhya Mridul Wednesday opened up about her alleged sexual harassment at the hands of Nath during the shooting of a telefilm.She accused Nath of trying to barge in her room in a drunken state."I instinctively tried to shut the door but he pushed it and lunged at me, I stepped aside he went flying past me into the room... I fell back toward the bathroom door he lunged at me again screaming I want you you're mine... "I dodged again he went into the bathroom and I think I latched the loo door and ran out of my room down the corridor into the lobby." Mridul said she got rid of him through the help of the crew but he continued to call her room every night. She said despite being the victim of Nath's overtures, it was she who suffered because he spread lies about her being a difficult person to work with in Mumbai, where he wielded influence in the '90s.Nath's lawyer termed the allegations "false" and called it an attempt to "purposely to malign his image".
Mumbai, Oct 10 (PTI) In the wake of the #MeToo movement, the Producers Guild of India announced Wednesday the formation of a special committee to look into matters of sexual harassment at the workplace within the industry.
The committee with filmmakers Kiran Rao and Ekta Kapoor among others as its members held its first meeting here Wednesday. "The Producers Guild of India is committed to work towards making workplaces in the industry safe spaces for everyone. In this regard a special committee has been instituted within the Guild to address the issue of sexual harassment at the workplace within our industry," a press release issued by the body said. Sneha Rajani (Committee Head), Apoorva Mehta, Ekta Kapoor, Fazila Allana, Jyoti Deshpande, Kiran Rao, Kulmeet Makkar, Madhu Bhojwani, Priti Shahani, Rohan Sippy, Siddharth Roy Kapur and Vijay Singh are the members of the committee, it said. The first meeting of the committee was held on Wednesday and it was resolved to immediately ensure that our members are sent a copy of the Gazette of India with notifications issued on Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace, so that they may implement these practices in their establishments at the earliest, if they have not done so already, the release said. To organize specialised workshops with the support of professional agencies, to guide our members in how to implement robust processes and best practices to deal with sexual harassment at their workplaces - whether in their offices or on the sets of their productions, it said. The Guild will also organize multiple sessions of these workshops over the coming weeks and months, to enable all our members and their teams to participate, it added. According to the release, the special committee that has been set in place will meet frequently in the coming days to ensure that this is an ongoing and sustained effort, that will lead to a safer environment for all members of our industry. The Guild in a statement issued Tuesday extended "complete support to the movement to call out and report sexual harassment and abuse whenever and wherever it occurs in our industry". It was Tanushree Dutta, who started the #MeToo movement in India last month, as she accused her co-star Nana Patekar of harassing her while shooting for a song for their 2008 film "Horn Ok Pleassss". Celebrities including Rajat Kapoor, Alok Nath, Abhijeet Bhattacharya, and Kailash Kher have been accused of sexual harassment.
Muzaffarnagar (UP), Oct 8 (PTI) Three men were booked for allegedly sexually assaulting a 26-year-old woman here in the district, police said Monday.
According to a police complaint lodged by the woman, she was sexually assaulted and beaten up by Dev Anand, Rahul and Manoj Kumar at Laker Sanga village under the Kotwali police station limits on Sunday. On the basis of the complaint, a case was registered against three accused who were absconding, Station House Officer (SHO), Kotwali police station, Anil Kapervan said, adding that the woman was sent for a medical examination.
Muzaffarnagar, Aug 28 : A 17-year-old girl was allegedly sexual harassed by a youth, who also tore her clothes, when she was going to a shop here, police said today.
The incident took place last evening.
In his complaint, the girl's father has alleged that the youth tore her clothes after she opposed him, Station House Officer, Bhopa, VP Yadav said.
The youth identified as Sachin is at large, he said, adding that a case was registered and a search launched to nab the accused person.
In another incident, a woman here has alleged that she was sexually harassed by two youths, who also threatened to throw acid on her.
The complaint was lodged last evening and the youths -- Deepak and Rohit -- were arrested, Station House Officer, Khatoli, Ambika Persad Bharduwaj said.
The complainant alleged that she was sexually harassed by the youths when she was returning from work and they threatened to throw acid on her if she avoided them, the officer said.PTI
New Delhi, Jul 31: A member of the Congress IT cell was arrested after a former colleague accused him of sexual harassment, police said today.
Chirag Patnaik was booked earlier this month for allegedly sexually harassing a former member of the Congress IT cell.
He was arrested, they said. (PTI)
Muzaffarnagar, Jul 7 : A 24-year-old woman was allegedly sexually harassed by a neighbour and when she and her minor brother protested, he thrashed them in Jansath town here, a police officer said.
According to a complaint filed by the woman's father, she and her 12-year-old brother were yesterday sleeping on the roof of their house when their neighbour Arif came to their roof and started molesting her, SHO Parveen Rana said.
When the woman and her brother protested, the accused first thrashed them and later pushed the boy off the roof, he said.
The injured siblings were admitted to a hospital, Rana said.
On the basis of the complaint, an FIR was registered against the accused, who is absconding, the SHO said.
Muzaffarnagar, Jun 22: Two women were injured after they were allegedly attacked by three men for opposing sexual harassment in the district, police said today.
The incident took place during a wedding yesterday in Morna village under Bhopa police station, they said.
According to a complaint lodged by the father of one of the victims, the two women were allegedly beaten up by the men after they opposed of sexual harassment.
Four other family members of the women were also beaten up, he alleged.
The injured were admitted to a hospital, police said.
A case was registered against the two men and the main accused was arrested in this connection, they said. (PTI)
Muzaffarnagar, June 19 : A court here has sentenced a 23-year-old man to three years in jail for sexually harassing a minor girl, and imposed a fine of Rs 8,000 on him.
According to the prosecution, the 16-year-old girl was sexually harassed by Kamal Kumar when she was alone in her house on November 5, 2014.
On the basis of a complaint by the girl's mother, a case was registered and he was arrested.
Yesterday, the court held Kumar guilty under IPC sections 354b (assault or use of criminal force on woman with intent to disrobe) 452 (house trespass) and 506 (criminal intimidation) and under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act in the case.PTI
Muzaffarnagar (UP), May 30 : A youth has been booked for allegedly sexually harassing a teenage girl on her way back home at Harinagar village here, the police said today.
A case was registered against Sanjay last evening in this regard, Circle Officer Rizwan Ahmed said.
Efforts are on to trace the accused, he said.PTI
New Delhi, May 29 : An air hostess of Air India has accused a senior executive of sexual harassment, prompting Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu to ask the national carrier to take immediate steps to address the issue.
In a letter addressed to Prabhu and also marked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the air hostess has asked the government to appoint a 'neutral' investigation committee to look into the incident.
Responding to the letter, the aviation minister tweeted, "Asked Air India CMD to immediately address the issue. If necessary, will appoint another committee".
The air hostess alleged that she had been harassed for the last six years by the senior executive, describing him as a "predator" and equal, if not worse, than Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood film maker charged with sexual misconduct by leading actresses.
"This senior executive is a predator and has sexually propositioned me, abused me, used abusive languages on other women in my presence, spoken of sexual acts with me and other women in my presence in office premises...
"He has insulted me and denied me positions and privileges after I rejected his advances and he had made my life a misery at work and continues to do so," she said in her letter dated May 25.
The woman said that she would reveal the name of the executive if she gets an audience with the aviation minister.
The air hostess maintained that she had lodged a complaint with Air India last September and written to then CMD of the airline, but "none was forthcoming".
She also accused the airline's women cell of dragging its feet on the issue.
"The complaints committee took over three months to summon the senior executive and never gave us a chance to cross-examine him. Even though we volunteered to cross-examine him, the committee felt no need to call us," the air hostess alleged in the letter. PTI
