Did Kapoor force himself on Tyagi?
By The American Bazaar Staff
BANGALORE: Bollywood film director Subhash Kapoor is in the crosshairs of the law, after a molestation case was filed against him in Mumbai on Monday.
Details are not clear as some reports say Kapoor was arrested and brought to court in Andheri, only to later be released on bail the very same day. Kapoor, however, writing on Twitter has denied that he was arrested and threatened legal action against publications which alleged he was arrested.
Reports say the complaint, which was filed at the Versova Police Station earlier this year, alleges that Kapoor and an associate named Danish came to the accuser’s residence and molested her in May of 2012 – over two years ago.
The victim is Geetika Tyagi, a budding actress who says that Kapoor forced himself onto her during a “casting couch” incident on one of his movies; given when the incident allegedly occurred, it could very well have been for his 2013 release Jolly LLB, which made Kapoor an overnight star in B-town. Kapoor is also alleged to have been drunk during the encounter.
Tyagi confronted Kapoor about the alleged incident a couple of months ago, at a public event in which Danish and Kapoor’s wife were also present. Tyagi slapped Kapoor and yelled at him about the alleged indiscretion, and the entire event was captured on video. That footage was posted on YouTube, and can be viewed below.
The case finally picked up steam last week, when a formal request was made by the National Commission for Women (NCW) to the Mumbai police that they take action. Kapoor was booked on charges of outraging a woman’s modesty (Indian Penal Code section 354), printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory (IPC section 501), and acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention (IPC section 34).
Danish, who is also facing the same charges, has been absconding from the police. Law enforcement and Mumbai courts are preparing to hear the case in the coming weeks or months.
Meanwhile, Kapoor took to Twitter to deny allegations that he had been arrested, posting “News of me being sent to judicial custody is false. Consulting my lawyers to sue the media houses spreading this rumor.”
Kapoor vaulted to becoming one of Bollywood’s most respected directors with last year’s Jolly LLB, the film that won the 2013 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. He has also been rumored to helm the third installment of the popular “Munnabhai” film franchise, although those plans may now be on hold pending a resolution to Kapoor’s new legal woes.