Bombay HC defers Richa Chadha's defamation suit against Payal Ghosh & others till Oct 7

Bollywood actor Richa Chadha has filed a defamation suit against actor Payal Ghosh and others for dragging her name into the alleged sexual assault case filed by Ghosh against filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. The hearing for Richa's case took place via video conferencing before a judge from Bombay High Court where Richa's lawyers claimed to have served notices to Ghosh and other respondents. However, there was no representation from Payal Ghosh so the High Court has deferred the matter to Wednesday, October 7.

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In the interim, fresh notices will be issued to the respondents in the defamation charges levelled by Richa Chadha. The actor is seeking quick and permanent relief against Payal Ghosh and others for allegedly dragging her in the sexual assault case concerning different people. Richa Chadha has claimed that Ghosh's intention of bringing up her name is to cause damage to her reputation and goodwill in the film industry. She has also termed Ghosh's claims as false, frivolous and vexatious.

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Meanwhile, Payal Ghosh has sought guidance from National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma to decide on the future course of action in light of the MeToo movement against Anurag Kashyap. The director was summoned by Mumbai Police on October 1 following Ghosh's FIR against him with allegations of rape, assault, forceful confinement and other charges. On expressing dissatisfaction with his testimony, Ghosh has also applied for Narco test, polygraph graph and lie detector test in addition to a separate complaint lodged with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) under the NDPS Act.

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Anurag Kashyap denies allegations

Anurag Kashyap’s lawyer Priyanka Khimani in a statement revealed that the filmmaker had denied all ‘wrongdoings’ while providing his statement to the police. She stated that the director provided documentary proof to the police about being in Sri Lanka in connection with the shooting of one of his films in August 2013. He denied that the alleged incident took place, the statement read. Kashyap was ‘distressed’ with the ‘false and reckless allegations’ made against him that caused ‘pain to him, his family and his fans.’, the statement continued. 

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