Ramdas Athawale rubbishes Anurag Kashyap's denial, asserts 'Payal is speaking the truth'

On Friday, RPI president Ramdas Athawale addressed the media and spoke about the ongoing investigation of actor Payal Ghosh's case against filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. On reports of Kashyap's denial of allegations levelled against him, Athawale stated that he is "lying" and that he should be arrested. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has stood by Ghosh in her fight against Kashyap and has also offered protection to her.

"Anurag Kashyap is lying, Payal Gosh is speaking the truth. In the film industry artists are exploited but they keep quiet because of work. I feel Payal should be believed and justice should be served.  Anurag Kashyap should be arrested,'' said Athawale on Thursday.

Earlier this week, Payal Ghosh and the RPI leader held a joint press conference where he had lauded Ghosh for speaking up about her tragic experience. Athawale further said that they were giving a 7-day ultimatum to Mumbai Police to arrest Kashyap or RPI will start protests across Mumbai. The minister also helped the actor put forth her plea before Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari.

Read | Anurag Kashyap reaches Versova police station for questioning over Payal Ghosh's rape FIR

Payal Ghosh files complaint against Kashyap

On September 22, Payal Ghosh had registered a sexual assault complaint against Anurag Kashyap at the Versova police station in Mumbai, three days after opening up on the alleged incident. She had tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking action against Kashyap and security for her after claiming that he had forced himself upon her around 2013-14. She has also filed a complaint against him under the NDPS act.

Read | Anurag Kashyap issues statement on 8-hr grilling on Payal Ghosh's rape FIR; claims 'proof'

Anurag Kashyap issues statement

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap was on Thursday questioned by police in a rape case filed against him by actor Payal Ghosh for more than eight hours. After that, Kashyap's lawyer Priyanka Khimani released a statement on behalf of the filmmaker stating that Kashyap has denied all wrongdoing in the matter and has provided his statement to the Mumbai Police. 

The statement says that Anurag 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. The lawyer said that the material provided by Anurag Kashyap in support of his statement, "demonstrates that the complaint of Payal Ghosh is an outright lie."

Read | "Anurag Kashyap has lied to Police": Payal Ghosh to seek narco test over 'Sri Lanka' alibi

Read | Anurag Kashyap summoned by police after Payal Ghosh's allegation of rape & FIR against him-