Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Police drop case that triggered India's #Metoo movement

Indian police on Thursday (13) said they had no evidence to support the allegations of sexual harassment made by an actress against a Bollywood star last year that sparked the country's #MeToo movement.

The case against multiple-award-winning actor Nana Patekar -- one of the few #MeToo cases in India to have been investigated by police -- was now closed, they said.


"There was no evidence that we could find against the accused," Mumbai police senior inspector Shailesh Pasalwar told AFP.

Former Miss Universe contestant Tanushree Dutta first alleged in 2008 that Patekar had touched her inappropriately during the making of a romantic comedy the same year.

She made no formal complaint at the time and no action was taken against Patekar, who has repeatedly denied the accusations.

But, emboldened by the global #MeToo campaign, Dutta repeated the allegations in an interview last summer and in October went to police in Mumbai to report the claim.

It triggered a belated #MeToo movement in India, which saw women share accounts of alleged harassment by several powerful men in the worlds of Bollywood, business, journalism, politics, comedy and even cricket.

Dozens of men lost their jobs -- including India's former junior minister MJ Akbar after at least 20 women accused him of sexual harassment during his time as a newspaper editor.

Very few cases ended up being probed by police, however, and several accused tried to turn the tables on their accusers by suing them for defamation.

Akbar -- who denies the allegations against him -- has taken one of the complainants, Priya Ramani, to court.

Dutta said last year that she received legal notices from Patekar after repeating her claims against him.

In May, a Supreme Court panel dismissed a sexual harassment claim made by a former staff member against the country's top judge, Ranjan Gogoi, saying it lacked substance.

More For You

Starmer seeks strong protections for military base in Chagos deal

Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during a meeting with business leaders on January 28, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Benjamin Cremel - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Starmer seeks strong protections for military base in Chagos deal

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer and his Mauritian counterpart Navin Ramgoolam on Friday (31) spoke directly for the first time about the Chagos Islands deal, Starmer's office said.

Britain and its former colony reached a deal last October to hand back Chagos -- which it kept control of after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s -- provided a UK-US military base remains on the largest island, Diego Garcia.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tommy Robinson supporters and anti-racism groups to face off

Supporters of Tommy Robinson carry a banner in Parliament Square. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)

Tommy Robinson supporters and anti-racism groups to face off

PROTESTERS supporting far-right activist Tommy Robinson and anti-racism campaigners will gather in central London on Saturday (1), with police deploying extra officers to maintain order and prevent clashes.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is serving an 18-month prison sentence for breaching a High Court injunction. His supporters, rallying under the banners "Stop the Isolation" and "Unite the Kingdom," will assemble near Waterloo Station from midday before marching to Whitehall.

Keep ReadingShow less
What’s next for Rishi Sunak? From Downing Street to a new mission

Rishi Sunak with Akshata Murty

What’s next for Rishi Sunak? From Downing Street to a new mission

NOW that he has been prime minister, what next for Rishi Sunak?

His wife, Akshata Murty, dropped a hint when she was interviewed along with her mother, Sudha Murty, for the long-running Relative Values slot in the Sunday Times.

Keep ReadingShow less
India slashes income taxes in bid to boost economy

Nirmala Sitharaman holds up a folder with the government of India's logo as she leaves her office to present the annual budget in the parliament, in New Delhi. REUTERS/Altaf Hussain

India slashes income taxes in bid to boost economy

INDIA's finance minister unveiled broad income tax cuts on Saturday (1) as prime minister Narendra Modi's government looks to bolster consumption and perk up a slowing economy.

The world's most populous country is forecast to expand at its slowest pace since the Covid pandemic in the current fiscal year, after growing at more than eight per cent last year.

Keep ReadingShow less
Washington-air-crash-Getty

The collision is the deadliest aviation disaster in the US since 2001. (Photo: Getty Images)

Two Indian-American passengers among victims of Washington air crash

TWO Indian-Americans were among the 67 people killed in a mid-air collision between a US Army helicopter and a jetliner at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, media reports said.

Vikesh Patel, a GE Aerospace engineer, and Asra Hussain Raza, a Washington DC-based consultant, were on board American Airlines flight 5342 when it collided with the Army helicopter while approaching the airport on Wednesday night.

Keep ReadingShow less