Vikas Bahl promised to go to a 'rehab' after confession: Anurag Kashyap

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta and screenwriter Apurva Asrani were among the first voices from the Hindi film industry to condemned “Queen” director Vikas Bahl over the sexual harassment allegations against him. Last year, a woman employee at Phantom Films, which had Bahl as one of the partners alongside Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena, had levelled allegations of molestation against Bahl, who she said behaved inappropriately during a trip to Goa.

Kangana Ranaut also voiced her opinion against sexual harassment and accused Queen director Vikas Bahl of harassing her on the sets of the film in 2014.

According to a recent report by India Today, all former partners of Phantom films, Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane and Vikas Bahl were present in court on Tuesday for a hearing.

Advocate Navroz Seervai, who represents the woman accusing Bahl of sexual misconduct, put out a statement with her signature confirming the incident, adding that the victim did not believe in going to the "police" and thus did not want to pursue the case.

Advocate Venkatesh Dhond, appearing for Kashyap and Motwane, said that the fact that the victim does not want to register the case, does not mean that this incident did not happen.

In counter arguments, Dhond said, “Immediately after the incident, when the girl had complained, Bahl was confronted by his partners. "He broke down and confirmed the incident, promising to go in for rehabilitation. This man has a drinking problem and he had promised to go to rehab as he cannot control his actions when he is drunk".

Advocate Janak Dwarkadas, representing Vikas Bahl, opposed the victim being let off from the case. He said, "She will have to be subjected to cross examination. It can't be that Bahl's reputation can be tarnished at the behest of the victim and she would be dropped from the hearing."

Vikas Bahl, has earlier filed a Rs 10 crore defamation suit against Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, his former partners in the production house.