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

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."

Anurag Kashyap is distressed with the false and reckless allegations made against him that have caused pain to him, his family and his fans, the statement said adding that Kashyap intends to vigorously pursue the legal remedies available to him.

Here is the statement from Anurag Kashyap's Lawyer:

In an FIR registered with the Versova Police Station, one Ms Payal Ghosh has alleged that in August 2013, my client, Mr Anurag Kashyap, called her to his house and sexually harassed her. My client presented himself for questioning before the investigating authority on 1st October 2020.
 
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. 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.
 
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. Mr Kashyap is confident that the falsity of the complaint has been exposed, not only by the evidence presented by Mr Kashyap but also the ever-shifting version of events put forth by Ms Ghosh in the media. Mr Kashyap is apprehensive that now that the falsity of her allegations in the FIR has been established, she will alter her version of events in the investigative process as well.

Mr Kashyap is distressed with the false and reckless allegations made against him that have caused pain to him, his family and his fans. Mr Kashyap intends to vigorously pursue the legal remedies available to him. 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.

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

Payal Ghosh says Kashyap 'lied'

Taking to Twitter, Payal Ghosh has said that Anurag Kashyap has lied to the Police in his statement. She has revealed that she will move an application seeking various lie-detection tests.

READ | Payal Ghosh reacts after filmmaker Anurag Kashyap gets summoned by Mumbai Police

Payal Ghosh's allegations against Anurag Kashyap

On Thursday, a team of Versova Police Station took Payal Ghosh to a government hospital in Mumbai's Andheri for a medical test in the case. The actress had last month filed an FIR against Anurag Kashyap accusing him of sexually assaulting her. Kashyap called the actor's claim an attempt to "silence" him for his outspoken views. Anurag Kashyap has found support in his industry friends, with Hansal Mehta, Taapse Pannu, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub as well as former wife, film editor Aarti Bajaj crediting him for creating a safe workspace for women.

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

READ | Payal Ghosh & Ramdas Athawale meet Maha Governor; discuss case against Anurag Kashyap