After kick-starting the #MeToo Movement, Tanushree Dutta also began a battle that she couldn't earlier.
Accusing Nana Patekar of sexual misconduct, she shared her story with the media. In September last year, Dutta had alleged that Patekar misbehaved with her on the sets of 'Horn Ok Please' in 2008 while shooting for a special dance number for the movie, and went on to file an FIR against the 'Welcome' star. However, Patekar refuted all allegations.?
And now, months later, Nana Patekar was given a clean chit. On June 13th, Mumbai police filed a B Summary report, giving a clean chit to Nana Patekar, in connection with actor Tanushree Dutta sexual harassment case.
A 'B Summary' report is filed when the police is unable to find evidence in support of the complaint filed and hence decides to discontinue the investigation. Disappointed with the verdict, Tanushree spoke to Bombay Times and expressed her feelings. She was quoted in the report as saying,
¡°At about 5 am, I got a call from a friend who told me about it. This is disgusting because Nana Patekar has been trying to get a clean chit for a while now. I have also mentioned this earlier in an interview that our witnesses have been getting threat calls, and they are being intimidated and pressured in every way so that they do not record their statements with the police. We have 10 witnesses, out of which only one and a half statements have been recorded. The others have not even come forward, as they have got threat calls."
She also opened up about the 'lack of evidence', as told by the police. She said,
"Cops say that there is lack of evidence. How will credible evidence be produced, if the accused is making sure that no evidence against him reaches the police? The witnesses that the police have recorded the statements (in his favour) from, are his friends. From the unite present during the time of the shoot back then, no one was really my friend. Also, the witnesses did not say nothing happened, they said, they don't remember anything."
She added that Patekar was trying to get a clean chit also because he wants to returns to films. She added,
A quick recap - earlier in May, amid buzz that Nana had been given a clean chit by the police as no eyewitness had confirmed the incident that was reported under #MeToo, Tanushree claimed it was a false rumour.
The actor issued a statement clarifying that the investigation is still going on while accusing Patekar's public relation team of spreading lies. Later Tanushree's lawyer Nitin Satpute also confirmed that it was a false rumour and alleged that Patekar was 'intimidating and threatening' witnesses.