No substantial proof against Nana Patekar in Tanushree Dutta’s harassment case: Police tells court

The Mumbai Police on Thursday told a local court that it has not found any ‘substantial evidence’ against Nana Patekar in the case related to alleged harassment of Bollywood actor Tanushree Dutta. In its ‘B Summary’ report, the police said that it cannot find evidence in support of the complaint and are unable to continue the investigation. In case the court goes ahead and accept the report, it will come as a huge relief for Patekar.

However, Dutta’s lawyer had earlier claimed that key witnesses were not coming forward to record their statements before police due to fear of the accused. Dutta had filed a complaint in October last year, in which she had alleged that on the sets of "Horn Ok Pleasss" in 2008, Patekar had touched her inappropriately on the pretext of showing her dance steps, and also insisted on starring in the song sequence, which was supposed to be a solo performance.

She had also named choreographer Ganesh Acharya, producer Samee Siddhiqui and director of the film Rakesh Sarang in her complaint. Based on her complaint, police had registered a case against them. Talking to reporters, Dutta's lawyer, Nitin Satpute, claimed that although a number of witnesses have recorded their statements before the police, the key witnesses of the incident are not coming forward to so due to fear of the accused.

"Police have recorded the statements of almost 15 witnesses, but key eyewitnesses of the incident have not recorded their statements. They are not coming forward becauseof the fear of the accused as they are highly influentialpeople," he said.

Satpute said one woman eyewitness is not ready to support Tanushree's version now as she was made to face legal issues 10 years back. "If the accused are arrested, then the witnesses will feel safe and they will come forward to record their statements," he added.

He also dismissed the "rumour" that police have given a clean chit to Patekar in connection with the case, which was registered at Oshiwara police station. "No clean chit has been given to Nana Patekar or other accused.

It cannot be given orally and can be approved only by the concerned magistrate," Satpute said. "These rumours are being spread as the accused have stopped getting work in the film industry," he added.