Tanushree Dutta says she has received legal notices from Nana Patekar, Vivek Agnihotri
Mumbai, Oct 4 : Actor Tanushree Dutta says she was slapped with two legal notices on Thursday - from veteran actor Nana Patekar and filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, respectively.
In a recent TV interview, Dutta alleged Patekar misbehaved with her when the two were shooting a special song for "Horn Ok Pleassss" 10 years ago, a claim she reiterated.
Following the resurgence of the controversy, she also accused Agnihotri of behaving inappropriately with her during the making of 2005 film "Chocolate".
"I have been slapped with two legal notices today. One from Nana Patekar and another from Vivek Agnihotri.
"This is the price you pay for speaking out against harassment, humiliation and injustice in India. Both Nana's and Vivek Agnihotri's teams are on a smear campaign against me by constructing outright lies and misinformation on social media platforms and other public platforms," Dutta said in a statement issued by her PR team, Shimmer Entertainment.
The actor, a former Miss India - Universe, claimed the supporters of Patekar and Agnihotri are "weaving damning allegations" against her.
She alleged threat to her life, saying while the police personnel deployed at her house were on a lunch break "two unnamed suspicious individuals tried getting into our home uninvited but were stopped just in time".
"Violent threats are being issued against me by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) party," she claimed.
Dutta, who is now based in the US, said she stands to lose this new life too if she allowed herself "to get embroiled in the court system of India".
After the allegations resurfaced against Patekar last week, the veteran actor laughed off her claim, asking what he could do about it.
The 67-year-old actor had said he would see if he could take any legal step.
Dutta has garnered support from many in the film industry which includes names such as Farhan Akhtar, Priyanka Chopra, Twinkle Khanna, Hansal Mehta, Richa Chadha and Swara Bhasker, among others.
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Have no personal involvement in Cong’s action against some minority leaders: Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said he has no personal involvement in action taken against certain Congress leaders from the minority community following allegations of an internal conspiracy during the recently held Davanagere South bypolls.
He clarified that the decisions were taken by the party high command based on available reports.
Asserting that party discipline is of utmost importance, Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, sought to downplay concerns that action against minority leaders may send a message that "Muslims are being targeted."
"I don’t have any personal involvement in this. Whatever decisions are taken are made by the party leadership. The party has its own reports. Decisions regarding MLAs or MLCs cannot be taken at the state level without instructions from Delhi," he said.
Speaking to reporters, he added, "People may blame me; I am not concerned. Everyone must function in accordance with party discipline."
Responding to concerns within sections of the party that recent actions may convey the impression that minority leaders are being targeted, he said the Congress exists for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, backward classes, farmers and all sections of society.
The Congress has suspended MLC K Abdul Jabbar from primary membership and relieved another MLC, Naseer Ahmed, from the post of CM’s political secretary.
The action followed allegations by a group of Muslim leaders that certain party members conspired to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
Following the action, speculation has emerged that Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan may also face disciplinary measures during the next cabinet reshuffle.
The three leaders had reportedly sought a Muslim candidate for the Davanagere South bypoll ticket, which the party instead allotted to the late MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa’s grandson, Samarth Mallikarjun. They were also said to have not actively participated in campaigning.
Shivakumar also rejected claims of factionalism within the ruling party amid speculation that leaders close to CM Siddaramaiah were being targeted.
Naseer Ahmed and Zameer Ahmed Khan are considered close to the chief minister.
Rejecting allegations of factions within the party, Shivakumar said, "We speak to each other every day. It is the media that creates divisions. Where is my faction? Has anyone put up a board saying they belong to the Siddaramaiah faction? Have I put up any such board?"
"All 139 legislators are my people, and they are all Siddaramaiah’s people as well. Everyone belongs to the Congress," he added, saying there are no factions within the party and such claims are media-driven.
PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi met Shivakumar on Friday, a day after expressing concerns that disciplinary action against minority leaders may send the wrong message.
Shivakumar said he discussed with Jarkiholi the need to decongest Bengaluru traffic by diverting vehicles entering the city from state and national highways, along with party-related issues.
"We also discussed political matters in the interest of the party and the need to work together," he said.
