I expect to see Nana Patekar, Ganesh Acharya Behind Bars, Thunders Tanushree Dutta

The #MeToo movement kicked off in India a few months ago and since then things have gradually died down. The rampant coverage of sexual harassment cases, the conversations about an issue that is always hushed up has vanished with the thin air. And now, the gutsy actress who began it all in our part of the country has once again raked up the past with a statement about Nana Patekar. The actress blamed Nana for the mental trauma and emotional upheaval that she and her family faced ten years ago following which she left the country.

Nana has been questioned by the police multiple times and yet nothing substantial has been given out to the public. However, a few days ago, the news Of Nana Patekar being given a clean chit by the Mumbai police was afloat in the media. Turns out that Tanushree got to hear about it and set on her own investigations on the matter, eventually finding out that the news is nothing but plain hoax being spread by Nana’s PR team!  She thundered, “There is a false rumour floating in the Media that Nana Patekar has been given clean chit by Police in a harassment case. I wish to clarify that the Mumbai police have given no such statement and that the investigation on the matter is still ongoing as confirmed by my advocate Nitin Satpute and the Mumbai Police. Mr Satpute will be holding a press conference on my behalf in Mumbai very soon and give clarity on the proceedings of the case. We have come to know that Nana Patekar’s public relations team is responsible for spreading this false rumour because the accused in harassment cases are not getting any work in the industry and this is their attempt at damage control and fixing public image.”

The actress who has had a bad experience with the film industry wants the media to show some restraint and responsibility. Quipped she, “I urge the media and public to not jump to conclusions based on heresy and to please check facts doubly before printing as there is too much misinformation being spread and the public needs to know the truth on the matter. It is true that the investigation has been slow due to constant threat calls from Nana's people received by many key witnesses from our side who have been unable to record their statement due to fear and intimidation.

The actress claims that witnesses have been furnished and the truth is being stifled. “False witnesses have been presented in their place to mislead the investigation. Calls have been coming to witnesses from all kinds of sources to discourage them from telling the truth. Under such circumstances what manner of investigation or justice is possible?”

However, the strong person she is, she feels she cannot give up on hope and expects to see the culprits behind bars, “But I still have hope that no matter how long it takes I can expect to see Nana Patekar, choreographer Ganesh Acharya, Producer Sami Siddique and Director Rakesh Sawant behind bars for orchestrating the harassment and mob attack on me and my family in our car.”

Hinting at some kind of a felony, she revealed that because an FIR was filed against the three, it is impossible to give a clean chit to the anyone amongst them. “How can the cops give a clean chit to one person when my FIR was filed against four people? So, there is major foul play going on here with all sorts of lies being spread by Nana’s team. To these four I want to say…10 years I stayed away from the industry because of the trauma of the mob attack, the harassment and the public humiliation you put me through, I will not let you get off the hook so easily. Let the sword of jail and public scrutiny hang over your heads at least a decade till you are brought to your knees in humility and repentance!! The actress vows vengeance, “An eye for an eye and a decade for a decade unless you are forgiven by grace. You will repent and ask for forgiveness until then I'm not dropping this case. Let it go on for as long as it can. I have time on my side!”

We at Desimartini pray that law and justice prevail and the perpetrators are punished gravely for their misdeeds.