Actress to apologise, withdraw statement on Richa Chadha in connection to Anurag Kashyap sexual harassment case

The actress, who had named Richa Chadha in an interview where she accused Anurag Kashyap of sexual misconduct, has agreed to tender an apology and retract her statement, said her lawyer Nitin Satpute.

Chadha had filed a defamation case against the actress along with Kamaal R Khan and the news channel that aired the interview before the Bombay High Court. The case was heard by a single bench of Justice Anil K Menon today with the proceedings to further take place on 12 October (Monday) when the parties will have to submit their "consent terms" settling the matter, writes Bar and Bench.

"She regrets whatever she said and her intention was never to defame any woman," Satpute told the court.

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Chadha's lawyers Veerendra Tulzapurkar and Saveena Bedi Sachar told the court that they are willing to accept the apology and would not claim damages.

The court also asked Manoj Gadkari, appearing for Khan, whether his client would like to withdraw his statement. Gadkari asked for time to file reply as his client was not in the country.

Chadha, in her suit, had said the statements made against her have "subjected her to immense humiliation, ridicule, unwanted speculation, harassment, harsh public scrutiny and loss of business opportunities and goodwill thereby causing tremendous stress and mental agony.

Justice Menon also passed an interim order restraining any person from making similar comments against Chadha, after observing that a "prima facie case was made out".

The actress during an interview on 19 September, had made the alleged defamatory statements against Chadha, which were reiterated in subsequent interviews. Chadha, in her suit, mentioned that even after a legal notice was sent to her, the actress did not stop making these statements.

On 23 September, the actress registered a First Information Report (FIR) at suburban Mumbai's Versova police station, accusing Kashyap of raping her in 2013.

She met Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy on Wednesday and sought “speedy justice”, in the wake of her allegation of sexual misconduct against filmmaker Kashyap, reports Press Trust of India. The meeting came about a fortnight after the Mumbai Police registered an FIR against Kashyap following the actress making the allegation.

(With inputs from Press Trust of India)