Makers of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah Would Harass Me, Force Me to Drink, Says Actress in FIR

After repeated complaints by an actress from the popular television programme Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Mumbai police have now lodged an FIR against producer Asit Modi, operations head Sohil Ramani, and executive producer Jatin Bajaj under sections 354A (sexual harassment), 509 (gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

While the police are yet to make any arrests in the case so far, the statement of the victim, exclusively accessed by CNN-News18, details the harassment allegedly caused to her by the makers of the show.

The victim also mentioned that she gave a complaint against the three accused to the National Commission for Women on April 8.

Her statement refers to repeated instances when Asit Modi would insist on drinking with her. Sharing an instance when the crew was shooting in Singapore for a segment, the actress mentioned that the producer insisted that she should drink with him because her roommate was not around.

She has also added that he would often make inappropriate statements or advances towards her, which would make her uncomfortable.

The actress said that when she would refuse to drink with him, he would find fault with her work. “He would also pinch my cheeks, say inappropriate things about my appearance and say he would have hugged me if we were together while talking over the phone,” reads her statement.

She has also accused Sohil Ramani and Jatin Bajaj of misbehaving with her and using abusive language when she would ask for leaves.

Her statement mentions various instances when she was asked to leave her family and return to work, which she alleges was done to harass her. The actress has said that even when her father died, her brother was on a ventilator, she was taking a family vacation, or was busy with her daughter’s passport appointment, she was yelled at by the makers of the show.

She has also alleged that Ramani used abusive language with her over the phone.

“On asking him how he could speak that way with a woman, he threatened me with consequences. After that, he would make it difficult for me to take time off and would often stop my fees from being paid in time,” reads her statement.

The victim has said that on March 6 this year, when she decided to rush off from the sets because of harassment, Ramani and Bajaj spoke rudely to her and threatened to replace her.