Bollywood actor Nana Patekar cleared of sexual harassment charges

Nana Patekar sexual harassment case filed by Tanushree Dutta which was extensively debated by the #MeToo media has been closed by the police.

Bollywood actor Nana Patekar has been cleared of sexual harassment charges after police said on Thursday they had not found sufficient evidence.

According to the ANI news agency, police in Mumbai said they had found no evidence to support the allegations and were, therefore, “unable to continue the investigation”,

Nana Patekar had always denied the allegations. The allegations resurfaced in 2018, which had sparked India’s #MeToo movement and which lead into actress Tanushree Dutta’s registering of a new case.

The #MeToo movement kicked off last year in India when actress Tanushree Dutta accusing veteran actor Nana Patekar of harassment on the sets of “Horn ‘OK’ Pleasss” in 2008.

After those allegations made by Datta in 2018, Patekar was dropped from “Housefull 4” and replaced by Rana Daggubati.

“A corrupt police force and legal system giving a clean chit to an even more corrupt person Nana who has been accused even in the past of bullying, intimidation and harassment by several women in the film industry. Our witnesses have been silenced by intimidation and fake witnesses have been put forth to weaken the case,” Tanushree Dutta said in a statement.

As the case has been closed by the police, due to lack of evidence. This marks the first official #MeToo case that has reportedly collapsed.

Nana Patekar will next be seen in Bollywood film “Tadka,” where he plays the lead.