Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri has ended his silence over allegations of sexual misconduct levelled by actress Tanushree Dutta.
Vivek said that the claims are “false and frivolous” and have been made “with an intent to attract publicity and wreak personal vendetta”.
Vivek Agnihotri’s lawyer, Nidhish Mehrotra, on the other hand, said in the statement that Tanushree is being sued for defamation.
The statement, which was also tweeted by the Chocolate director read, "The allegations leveled against my client Mr. Vivek Agnihotri by Ms.Tanushree Dutta for misbehaviour and/or harassment are absolutely false, frivolous and vexatious. These allegations are deliberate and have been borne with an intent to attract publicity and wreak personal vendetta against my client with mala-fide intentions.On the instruction of my client, we have served a legal notice to initiate defamation action against her and all the news agencies that have engaged in unethical and immoral conduct to promote sensational journalism without any diligence or proper verification and with the intent of defaming my client.This press release also requests all the media agencies, their electronic channels and social media handles and public at large to refrain from reporting in this case against my client without evidence. Failing which, we shall be forced to take necessary legal action.”
On Wednesday, Tanushree Dutta, in a statement said that she has received legal notices from Vivek Agnihotri and Nana Patekar.
In earlier interviews, the actress had accused Patekar of physical and sexual harassment on the sets of the film Horn OK Pleassss, 10 years back.
She claimed that when she refused to do an intimate step with Nana Patekar, he had called goons to the sets of the film who had vandalised her car.
In another interview to a channel, Tanushree Dutta alleged that Vivek Agnihotri had misbehaved with her.
