Anurag Kashyap denies reckless' rape allegations, says he was in Sri Lanka at the time
Mumbai: Vehemently denying actor Payal Ghosh's allegations of rape against him, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap on Friday described them as false and reckless and said he was out of the country during the period she has mentioned in her FIR.
A statement issued by his lawyer a day after he was questioned in the case said Kashyap provided documentary proof to the police to establish the fact that he was in Sri Lanka shooting for a film in August 2013.
Versova police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Kashyap on September 22 after Ghosh alleged that he had raped her in August 2013.
"Mr. Kashyap has denied all wrongdoing in the matter and has provided his statement to the police. The material provided by Mr. Kashyap, in support of his statement, demonstrates that the complaint of Ms. Ghosh is an outright lie, said the statement by his lawyer Priyanka Khimani.
Kashyap, who was questioned by Mumbai Police for eight hours on Thursday, has said he will vigorously pursue legal remedies.
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. Mr. Kashyap has categorically denied that any such alleged incident ever took place and has also denied all allegations levelled against him, Khimani said in the statement.
She said the filmmaker believes the falsity of the complaint has been exposed by the ever-shifting versions of events shared by Ghosh.
Khimani said the filmmaker is distressed with the false and reckless allegations made against him that have caused pain to him, his family and his fans .
Mr. 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. Mr. Kashyap is confident that justice will prevail, the statement read.
Last month, Ghosh took to Twitter to claim that Kashyap was sexually inappropriate towards her, an allegation the director had dismissed as baseless .
Police has invoked IPC sections 376 (I) (rape), 354 (assault on woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 342 (wrongful confinement) against the Gangs of Wasseypur filmmaker.
Earlier this week, Ghosh and Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale had met Maharashtra Governor B S Koshyari to seek action against Kashyap.
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BWSSB to extract biogas from sewage sludge
Bengaluru (PTI): The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is set to roll out a major biogas initiative to extract compressed biogas from sewage sludge, aiming to generate over Rs 120 crore in additional revenue over the next two decades.
The project approved by the state cabinet is expected to be the largest of its kind in the country, utilising about 550 MLD of sewage across five major sewage treatment plants, according to an official release.
"This brilliantly structured PPP model allows us to generate over Rs 120 crore in fresh revenue without investing a single rupee in capital or operations," BWSSB Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar said in the statement.
Under the project, raw biogas currently used for in-house power generation or flared will be upgraded to CBG meeting national standards for injection into the city gas distribution network or use as a clean transport fuel, the release said.
The initiative will be executed on a public-private partnership model, with the private concessionaire bearing the entire Rs 85 crore capital expenditure and operational costs, while BWSSB will provide land within treatment plant premises.
Describing it as a step towards energy security and the circular economy, officials said the project could serve as a national model for similar urban initiatives.
