#MeToo in India: A list of allegations as reported on social media, and followed up by Firstpost
As a second wave of #MeToo allegations have taken over social media timelines in India over the past couple of weeks, a wide range of accusations — from inappropriate behaviour to rape — have been levelled against public personalities from the fields of (mainly) the media and entertainment
As a second wave of #MeToo allegations have taken over social media timelines in India over the past couple of weeks, a wide range of accusations — from inappropriate behaviour to rape — have been levelled against public personalities from the fields of (mainly) the media and entertainment.
Some of the women who have made these allegations chose to reveal their identities; others have shared their accounts anonymously, by reaching out to journalists Sandhya Menon (@TheRestlessQuil), Anoo Bhuyan (@AnooBhu), writer-comic Mahima Kukreja (@AGirlOfHerWords) and singer Chinmayi Sripaada (@chinmayi), among several others curating these stories on Twitter.
Here's a complete list of the allegations reported on social media so far, that Firstpost has followed up on. We will be updating this report over the following days.
| Accused | Allegations | Accused by | Status |
| MJ Akbar | Veteran journalist, Union minister | Accused of sexual harassment, engaging in predatory behaviour, abusing position of power. | Multiple women | Akbar files defamation case, denies all allegations; 17 women journalists ask court to hear their testimony about the 'culture of casual misogyny, entitlement and sexual predation that he engendered and presided over" at the Asian Age newspaper. Akbar steps down as minister of state for External Affairs |
| Alok Nath | Actor | Accused of rape, sexual harassment, inappropriate behavior. | Multiple women | FIR filed against Nath; court grants him bail. Nath files defamation case against writer-producer who accused him of rape. |
| Babu Haabi | Singer-rapper | Accused of rape and harassment. | Anonymous | Haabi denies allegation |
| Gursimran Khamba | Comedian | Accused of forcefully kissing a woman, harassment and emotional abuse. | Anonymous | Khamba admits to toxic behaviour, denies harassment; suspended temporarily from comedy collective AIB. Hotstar cancels AIB show |
| Utsav Chakraborty | Writer-actor | Accused of sending unsolicited dick pics to unknown women; asking for nudes. | Multiple women (named, anonymous) | All his videos were delisted by AIB; Chakraborty issues an apology. A year later, Chakraborty says that the allegations against him were fabricated, countering several of the accusers' narratives in a series of tweets. |
| Kanan Gill | Comedian | Accused of inappropriately touching a group of women while inebriated. | Anonymous | Kanan issues apology; woman says she accepts apology, doesn't intend to pursue the matter further |
| Chetan Bhagat | Writer | Accused of sending inappropriate messages. | Multiple women (named, anonymous) | Bhagat apologises for 'flirtatious exchange'; denies other allegations |
| Vairamuthu | Lyricist | Accused of making physical advances and asking for sexual favours in exchange for professional opportunity. | Chinmayi Sripaada | Vairamuthu denies the allegation |
| Kailash Kher | Musician | Accused of inappropriately touching women. | Multiple, anonymous via @TheRestlessQuil and others | Kher denies knowledge of actions he's been accused of |
| Rajat Kapoor | Actor | Accused of making inappropriate advances and harassment. | Multiple women | Kapoor issued an apology on Twitter. |
| Jeeveshu Ahluwalia | Comedian | Accused of asking an interviewer inappropriate questions. | Anonymous | Ahluwalia apoligises; dropped by management company |
| Vikas Bahl | Filmmaker | Accused of attempting to physically force himself on a woman; verbal harassment at work; inappropriate conduct | Multiple women (named, anonymous) | Super 30 actor Hrithik Roshan distances himself from director; Phantom Films dissolved |
| Zulfi Syed | Model-actor | Accused of making forcible sexual advances. | Natasha Hemrajani | Syed apologises to Hemrajani |
| Abhijeet Bhattacharya | Singer | Accused of intimidation and sexual harassment. | Anonymous | Bhattacharya denies the allegations. |
| Raghu Dixit | Musician | Accused of sexual harassment and making unwanted advances. | Multiple, anonymous | Dixit has acknowledged one survivor's allegations and apologised |
| Sajid Khan | Filmmaker | Accused of sexual harassment, flashing women. | Multiple women | Khan denies allegations, steps down as director of Housefull 4 |
| Piyush Mishra | Writer-actor | Accused of unwelcome advances. | Ketki Joshi, anonymous | Mishra apologises for causing hurt, adds he doesn't remember details |
| Varun Grover | Writer | Accused of harassment. | Anonymous | Grover replies to allegation with pointed rebuttal, calls the claims 'completely fabricated and defamatory', says he is open to an investigation |
| Aditi Mittal | Comedienne | Accused of kissing without consent on stage. | Kaneez Surka | Mittal issues unconditional apology to Surka, says no intent to cause hurt |
| Zain Durrani | Actor | Accused of physical violence and mental torture. | Saloni Chopra | Durrani has issued no comment at this time |
| Vibhu Sharma | Event manager | Accused of sexual assault. | Anonymous | Sharma has issued no comment at this time; Impresario, the firm he's employed by, sets up inquiry committee |
| Sachin Garg | Writer | Accused of sexual harassment. | Anonymous | Garg issues statement that says he believed the encounter was consensual; apologises for having caused hurt |
| Kiran Nagarkar | Writer | Accused of making inappropriate physical advances and asking women to video chat with him. | Multiple women (named, anonymous via @TheRestlessQuil) | Nagarkar denies all allegations. A year later, he passes away in Mumbai. |
| Pablo Bartholomew | Photographer | Accused of making persistent calls to a female interviewer despite her disinterest; allegedly casting doubt on her ability to profile his work after she refused to go out with him. | Anonymous | Bartholomew says with no timeline, details or context provided by anonymous accuser, he is unable to respond to the charge. Reaffirms his commitment to gender equality. |
| KR Sreenivas | Journalist | Accused of making sexually laden gestures and sending inappropriate messages to women. | Multiple women | Under investigation by The Times of India, says he's complying; sent on 'administrative leave' |
| Gautam Adhikari | Retd journalist | Accused of forcibly kissing and making unwanted physical advances. | Multiple women | Adhikari denies allegation; resigns as senior fellow at Center for American Progress, Washington DC. A year later, Adhikari passes away. |
| Meghnad Bose | Journalist | Accused of objectifying and making lewd comments about women, inappropriately touching and harassing them. | Multiple women (named, anonymous) | Bose issues apology |
| Rameez Shaikh | Journalist | Accused of coercing for sex; harassment and demand for nudes over a period of two years. | Multiple women (named, anonymous) | Shaikh issues apology; denies sexual assault. Homegrown removes his content from the website |
| Manoj Ramachandran | Journalist | Accused of sending an inappropriate text message. | Sandhya Menon | No statement from Ramachandran at this moment |
| Prashant Jha | Journalist | Accused of sending inappropriate, unwelcome messages. | Avantika Mehta | Jha steps down as the chief of bureau and political editor of Hindustan Times |
| Sidharth Bhatia | Journalist | Accused of harassment and making inappropriate comments. | Multiple women | Bhatia refutes all allegations in rejoinder. |
| Mayank Jain | Journalist | Accused of unwelcome sexual advances, sexual harassment | Multiple women | Jain resigns from his role as principal correspondent with Business Standard |
| Aayush Soni | Journalist | Accused of unwelcome sexual advances | Anonymous | Soni admits to wrongdoing in the past, says he has apologised for such behaviour |
| Satadru Ojha | Journalist | Accused of sexual harassment. | Multiple (named, anonymous) | Ojha relieved of current duties; TOI says all allegations are being investigated |
| Suhel Seth | Marketing expert, writer | Accused of sexual harassment. | Multiple women | No comment from Seth. Tata & Sons ends contract with Seth's firm, Counselage. Seth's invitation to speak at a CEO forum was rescinded. |
| Sham Kaushal | Stunt director | Accused of showing female colleague a porn clip. | Nameeta Prakash | Kaushal apologises for causing hurt inadvertently |
| Ashish Patil | VP — Brand Partnerships, talent management | Accused of sexual harassment. | Anonymous | YRF terminates Patil's services |
| Anirban Blah | Talent manager | Accused of sexual harassment. | Multiple women | Blah steps down from Kwan, talent management agency he founded |
| Vinod Dua | Journalist | Accused of sexual harassment. | Nishtha Jain | Dua refers to allegations as mudslinging; The Wire, which he is currently associated with, says their IC will look into the accusation. External Committee later ends probe saying it "does not have the unconditional consent of both sides". |
| Jatin Das | Artist | Accused of sexual harassment. | Multiple women | Das refutes all allegations |
| CP Surendran | Editor, poet | Accused of sexual harassment at the workplace, at lit fests. | Multiple women | Surendran issues statement claiming, 'This is the lynch mob of the drawing room at work. I am being shamed in a Scarlet Letter-meets-The Crucible social media-produced movie'. Later stepped down from Matrubhumi Festival's board of directors and dropped from Chair Poetry Evenings programme for 2019. |
| Shahid Datawala | Photographer | Accused of molestation. | Amaaya Dasgupta | Gallery TARQ drops Datawala's exhibition after Dasgupta's #MeToo post; Datawala issues unconditional public apology as per Dasgupta's request |
| Riyas Komu | Artist | Accused of sexual harassment. | Anonymous | Komu denies wrongdoing but apologises for causing hurt, steps down from managerial positions at Kochi Biennale Foundation pending inquiry |
| Ere Gowda | Filmmaker | Accused of sexual assault. | Anonymous | No comment from Gowda; his film Balekempa is dropped from 20th Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival and Dharamshala International Film Festival |
| Anu Malik | Music composer | Accused of making inappropriate, unwelcome remarks. | Shweta Pandit | Malik's lawyer says allegations are an attempt at character assassination; Malik steps down from judging duties at Indian Idol |
| Arjun Sarja | Actor | Accused of inappropriate touching. | Sruthi Hariharan | Sarja refutes allegation |
| Soumik Sen | Filmmaker | Accused of sexual misconduct during the making of Cheat India. | Anonymous | No comment from Sen; Atul Kasbekar's company Ellipsis Entertainment — which produced Cheat India — issues statement saying no complaint regarding Sen was received |
| John Vijay | Actor | Accused of inappropriate behaviour. | Multiple women | Vijay says remarks made in jest were misunderstood, apologises; affirms support for #MeToo movement |
| Kapil Dawda, Sachin Paranjape, unnamed male | Teach For India fellows | Accused of sexual harassment. | Multiple accusers | Dawda was reinstated to his role after an inquiry found that a case for sexual harassment was not made out. No comment from Paranjpe |
| Kartik Iyer, Praveen Das, Bodhisatwa Dasgupta and Dinesh Swamy | Dentsu Aegis Networks | Accused of sexual harassment. | Multiple accusers | All four men asked to step down from their respective positions. Iyer refutes allegations, Dasgupta says he doesn't have further comment |
| Mukesh Chhabra | Casting director | Accused of sexual misconduct. | Multiple women | Chhabra expresses 'surprise, shock and disappointment' over allegations. Fox Star Hindi — which is producing his directorial debut Kizzie Aur Manny — suspends Chhabra until charges are investigated |
| Vicky Sidana | Casting director | Accused of sexual misconduct. | Multiple women | Sidana calls allegations 'an attempt to malign' him. Sidana files a civil defamation suit against actress Kritika Sharma, who accused him of rape. |
| Gaurang Doshi | Producer | Accused of physical violence. | Flora Saini | No comment from Doshi |
| Chintan Ruparel | Founder, Terribly Tiny Tales | Accused of sexual harassment, rape. | Multiple women | No comment from Ruparel; Terribly Tiny Tales announces his departure as Chief Content Officer |
| Saif Mahmood | Lawyer, writer, activist | Accused of sexual misconduct. | Journalist Anuja Jaiman | Mahmood issues extensive statement putting forward his version of events. |
| Sudarshan Banerjee | Co-founder, Utopeia ad agency | Accused of sexual harassment. | Four women, with some allegations substantiated by Utopeia co-founder Mitali Srivastava Hough | Banerjee sent on two-week leave, but later resumes. Utopeia wraps up probe against Banerjee. |
| Gaurav Sawant | Journalist | Accused of sexual harassment in incident dating to 2003. | Journalist Vidya Krishnan | Sawant files defamation suit against Krishnan and The Caravan, which published the report. |
| Rahul Nahar, Pritam Mutha | Xrbia Developers | Accused of sexual harassment. | Belkis Campos, Houria (last name withheld to protect identity) | Campos lodges complaint with the Crime Against Women Cell; Nahar denies allegation. |
| Male personnel at All India Radio's Dharamshala, Obra, Kurukshetra stations | Accused of sexual harassment, variety of inappropriate behaviour/misconduct. | Multiple women | Some of the accused personnel were transferred to other stations. |
| Subodh Gupta | Artist | Accused of sexual harassment. | Anonymous allegations, purportedly from multiple women. Art critic Rosalyn D'Mello substantiates some of the allegations | Gupta has denied the allegations, calling them 'false and fabricated'. A year later, he has filed a defamation suit against Instagram handle @herdsceneand, which aired the allegations against him. |
| Mukesh Agrawal, IPS | Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) in Assam | Accused of sexual harassment in case dating to 2012. | Leena Doley, Additional Superintendent of Police in Assam | A committee was set up as per Vishakha Guidelines, but Doley's complaint was dismissed. Her husband committed suicide six months after she filed her complaint. |
| Dr P Vijayakumar | Professor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences | Accused of sexual harassment by a former student. | Preethi Krishnan. | TISS promises necessary action will be taken post-investigation. |
| Chitravina N Ravikiran | Carnatic musician | Accused of sexual harassment. | Anonymous allegations by former students made public by activist Radhika Ganesh on Twitter. | Ravikiran says, "I have never sexually harassed anyone"; is dropped from Margazhi season line-up by Madras Music Academy. |
| Srinivas Methuku | Asst Prof, Symbiosis Law College | Accused of sexual harassment. | Multiple female students; allegations amplified by Apoorva Yarabahalli and Singdha Jayakrishnan. | Methuku unaffected by allegations; Yarabahalli and Jayakrishnan asked to leave SLC campus citing "disciplinary issues". |
| U Rajesh | Musician | Accused of sexual harassment. | Anonymous allegations by former student made public by Chinmayi Sripaada on Twitter. | U Rajesh has not responded to the allegation; his concert, organised by Milapfest, was called off. |
| TS Sudhir | Journalist | Accused of sexual harassment. | Ratnika Sharma. | Sudhir denies allegation with detailed statement. |
| Varun Patra | Founder, Homegrown | Accused of (audio) recording a sexual encounter without partner's consent. | Anonymous allegation, shared by artist Priyanka Paul on her social media timelines. | Patra steps down from position at Homegrown. |
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Network 18, of which Firstpost is a part, has received complaints of sexual harassment as well. The complaints which are within the purview of the workplace have been forwarded to our PoSH committee for appropriate action.
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