Payal Ghosh files FIR against Anurag Kashyap; director accused of rape, wrongful restraint

Actress Payal Ghosh filed a first information report (FIR) against filmmaker Anurag Kashyap at Mumbai’s Oshiwara police station on Tuesday evening, accusing the director of rape, among other alleged crimes. 

Ghosh's lawyer Nitin Satpute said in a statement that the complaint mentions the offences of rape, wrongful restraint, wrongful confinement and outraging the modesty of a woman.

Ghosh had visited the police station to file the FIR around 11:30 pm on Monday. However, as no female police officer was present, she decided to lodge it yesterday. 

The actress first raised allegations against Kashyap in an interview with a Telugu news channel on 19 September. The actress then sought succour from the prime minister, tweeting, “Anurag Kashyap forced himself on me and extremely badly. Narendra Modiji, kindly take action and let the country see the demon behind this creative guy (sic).” 

The director immediately rubbished the Ghosh's claims, with his lawyer Priyanka Khimani later issuing a statement terming the allegations “false, malicious and dishonest.” 

The filmmaker has received support from various female figures from the film industry including Taapsee Pannu, Radhika Apte, Guneet Monga and his two ex-wives, editor Arti Bajaj and Kalki Koechlin. Ghosh, meanwhile, received support from Kangana Ranaut and actress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Roopa Ganguly. 

The chairperson of National Commission for Women (NCW), Rekha Sharma, had asked Ghosh to file a detailed complaint against Kashyap on Saturday. The actress has not filed it as of yet.