Mumbai: Bollywood filmmaker Anurag Kashyap was interrogated by Mumbai police for more than eight hours on Thursday, in a rape case filed against him by actor Payal Ghosh. After the questioning, Anurag’s lawyer said that the filmmaker was in Sri Lanka in 2013, when the alleged incident took place. Here are Anurag Kashyap’s case updates.
Anurag Kashyap’s case statement
Anurag summoned by the police, reached suburban Versova police station at around 10 am on Thursday morning along with his two associates and his lawyer Priyanka Khimani. After almost 8 hours long interrogation with the police, Anurag left at around 6 pm.
Anurag Kashyap’s case took a tragic turn when, Anurag’s lawyer Khimani released an official statement on Friday morning denying all the allegations by Payal Ghosh.
The statement read, “In an FIR registered with the Versova Police Station, the complainant has alleged that in August 2013, my client, Mr Kashyap, called her to his house and sexually harassed her… Mr Kashyap has provided documentary proof of the fact that throughout August, 2013 he was away in Sri Lanka in connection with the shooting of one of his films.”
If Anurag was in Sri Lanka, then why did he not say it while denying the allegations earlier?
“Mr Kashyap has categorically denied that any such alleged incident ever took place and has also denied all allegations levelled against him.”
“These sudden, belated allegations of an alleged incident of August, 2013 have been widely publicised by the Complainant for the purpose of vilifying Mr. Kashyap, irrespective of the outcome of the judicial process. He is confident that the falsity of the complaint has been exposed, not only by the evidence presented, but also the ever-shifting version of events put forth by Ms. Ghosh in the media. He is apprehensive that now that the falsity of her allegations in the FIR have been established, she will alter her version of events in the investigative process as well,” her statement further read.
Speaking further about Anurag Kashyap’s case, Khimani said, “Kashyap is distressed with the false and reckless allegations made against him that have caused pain to him, his family and his fans. He intends to vigorously pursue the legal remedies available to him.
Kashyap vehemently denies any such incident, as has been alleged, and has sought for severe action against Ms. Ghosh for misusing the criminal justice system and for hijacking the Me Too Movement for her ulterior motives. He is confident that justice will prevail,” concluded Priyanka Khimani who is handling Anurag Kashyap’s case.
Case booked against Anurag Kashyap
Versova police registered a FIR against Kashyap on September 22 under IPC sections 376 (I) (rape), 354 (assault on woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 342 (wrongful confinement), after Payal Ghosh alleged that he had sexually harrassed her in 2013.
Speaking about Anurag Kashyap’s case, an official said, “Our investigation is still in the preliminary stage. We summoned Kashyap to seek answers to the allegations made against him. We are continuing to gather evidence.”
Payal Ghosh’s reaction
Reacting to the Anurag Kashyap’s case statement on Twitter , Payal Ghosh wrote that the filmmaker had ‘lied’ before the police. She claimed that her lawyer will move an application on Friday for conducting ‘Narco Analysis, Lie Detector & Polygraph Test of’ Anurag to find out the ‘truth’ in the ‘interest of justice.’
Meanwhile, Payal Ghosh had also threatened to go on a hunger strike unless the police did not take any action in Anurag Kashyap’s case and arrest him soon. Anurag Kashyap’s case went far after Ghosh lodged complaints with the National Commission for Women and Narcotics Control Bureau, claiming Kashyap consumed drugs.