After Vikas Bahl, veteran actor Nana Patekar has been given a clean chit by authorities investigating a sexual harassment allegation against him. About eight months ago, Tanushree Dutta sparked a nation-wide fire by alleging that she was mistreated and manhandled on a film set. Especially by Nana Patekar, an established actor co-starring alongside her. However, earlier today, the case was shut down citing ‘lack of prima facie evidence’.
Dutta had, time and again, quashed any report that would indicate that Nana Patekar was given a clean chit saying it was a rumour floating in sections of media. However, after becoming privy to Mumbai police’s statement to the court, Tanushree Dutta reacted to the same in a statement – “I am neither shocked nor surprised. Being a woman in India, this is something we all have got used to. I mean if rape accused Alok Nath got a clean chit and returned to movies then surely it would not be difficult for harassment accused Nana Patekar to get himself or shall we say buy himself a clean chit to continue to bully hapless young women.”
She even questioned some of the legal procedure that seemed to have convenienced the accused (according to Dutta) – “A corrupt police force and legal system giving a clean chit to an even more corrupt person Nana who has been accused even in the past of bullying, intimidation and harassment by several women in the film industry. Our witnesses have been silenced by intimidation, and fake witnesses have been put forth to weaken the case. What was the rush to file a B summary report when all of my witnesses have not even recorded their statements yet?”
Tanushree Dutta urged other women to speak up against the offenders rather than silently suffer it, “I pray that I never have to deal with this kind of toxicity ever again in life. I am tired of fighting alone against oppressors, bullies and a corrupt system. I have better things to do in life with my talent and skill set and I need to focus on those but please don’t take this example to mean that you will not be heard when you speak up!! Continue to expose these creeps through social media and other platforms so that in future people would think twice before troubling an innocent young girl. I still believe that I will get justice and victory will be mine!! How… only time will tell.”
After Tanushree Dutta came clean on the harassment she experienced on the sets on Horn Ok Pleasee, it led to many women to come forward with accounts of sexual misconduct, rape and outing many men. It should be noted that there hasn’t been a single conviction in these cases.
