Just a few days after Micromax Mobile withdrew airing the controversial ‘Bai commercial’ depicting Shiney Ahuja, the Bollywood star stands vindicated once again as his co-actor Sayali Bhagat’s publicist Anant Narayan went behind bars.
The publicist, who is said to have put out false news reports in the media that Shiney sexually harassed Sayali, was arrested by the police after a complaint was filed against him by the actress herself, reported PTI.
Anant, a journalist-turned-struggling actor, who claimed to be a Prince of some place called Barrey (we couldn’t find it on Google) in Uttar Pradesh, also heads a PR firm called Crème Talent Management which according to Sayali, circulated false information about her in the media.
Posing as Sayali Bhagat’s publicist, Anant is learnt to have dispatched press releases to the entire media claiming that the ex-Miss India World (well-known for her film The Train opposite Emraan Hashmi), was sexually harassed by Shiney Ahuja on the sets of their forthcoming film Ghost produced by Bharat Shah.
A few days later, Sayali claimed in a newspaper that Shiney didn’t. Again, the agency is said to have shot another press release quoting her that Shiney did sexually harass her. In a few days, the agency is reported to have sent out a press note, claiming from Sayali’s side that even megastar Amitabh Bachchan, filmmaker Sajid Khan and actor Arya Babbar sexually harassed her, and that she would file Police complaints and take action against them.
This is when Sayali filed a Police complaint and decided to initiate legal action against Anant Narayan’s “false claims”. Nandkishore More, Senior Inspector at Cyber Crime Investigation Cell in Mumbai confirmed that Anant had been arrested from his current residence in Gurgaon.
“He has been booked under IPC Sections 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and relevant sections of Information Technology Act,” stated More.
“Narayan went to the actor’s house on August 27 this year and spoke about various management contracts he had bagged with celebrities and convinced the victim (Sayali Bhagat) to appoint his firm as her publicist,” More said.
Sayali lodged a police complaint on October 26 against Narayan, who has now been remanded in police custody till November 23 by a local court.
Meanwhile, Shiney Ahuja’s publicist Dale Bhagwagar expressed relief saying, “I’m happy that the truth is coming out and Shiney stands vindicated.”
It can be mentioned here that a year ago, actress Minissha Lamba had expressed disgust over Anant Narayan for falsely spreading reports that she was having an affair with him.
