Richa Chadha files defamation case against Payal Ghosh, KRK, Telugu news channel

Actress Richa Chadha has filed a defamation case in the Bombay high court against actress Payal Ghosh for allegedly dragging her name into the latter's alleged rape and sexual harassment case against filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. Chadha has also sought monetary compensation of Rs1.1 crore from the actress. She had sent a legal notice to Ghosh last month in this regard as well. 

Chadha has mentioned actor and self-proclaimed film critic Kamaal R Khan, popularly known as KRK, and news channel ABN Telugu as defendants in the case for allegedly spreading libellous content. 

A single bench judge comprising of Justice Anil K Menon heard Chadha’s plea yesterday through counsel Virendra Tulzapurkar and advocate Saveena Bedi Sachar. However, nobody appeared from the side of the accused. 

Hence, the bench asked Chadha to send fresh personal notices to the accused along with a service through emails. The court has sought an affidavit from Chadha by today and has adjourned the case till 7 October. 

Last month, Ghosh accused Kashyap of allegedly trying to force himself onto her. She filed a First Information Report (FIR) against the filmmaker for rape and other sexual offences. Ghosh had claimed that Kashyap took the names of actresses Chadha, Huma Qureshi and Mahie Gill while asking for sexual favours in exchange of film roles. 

Following this, Qureshi had reacted saying she was ‘angry’ at being dragged into the matter. 

On 1 October, Kashyap was questioned by the police for eight hours in connection with Ghosh's allegations. In her FIR, Ghosh had claimed that the alleged incident had taken place in August 2013 in Kashyap’s Mumbai office. However, Kashyap’s lawyer Priyanka Khimani pointed out that her client was in Sri Lanka during that period to shoot Bombay Velvet (2015).