Ganesh Acharya Charged With Sexual Harassment; Choreographer Denies Allegations
A female choreographer had accused Ganesh Acharya of sexual harassment in 2020.
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The Mumbai police has reportedly filed a chargesheet against choreographer Ganesh Acharya and he has been charged under sections 354A (sexual harassment), 354C (voyeurism), 354D (stalking), 509 (insulting the modesty of any woman), 323 (causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention to commit an offence) of the Indian Penal Code, Hindustan Times reported.
The police filed this chargesheet after they conducted an investigation into the complaint filed by a choreographer who worked with Acharya.
She had alleged, in 2020, that Acharya had sexually harrassed her when she was working as a junior dancer. She alleged that she had gone to Acharya’s office to collect her dues but he refused to pay her and showed her pornographic material on his laptop.
She had said to Bombay Times, “In my complaint to NCW, I have also stated that Ganesh, who would often be found watching adult videos every time I visited his office, forced me to watch them, too. I reprimanded him and told him that if he ever repeated it or called me, I would file a complaint against him with the association and the police.”
She additionally accused Acharya of adversely affecting her career and said that her membership of the Indian Cine and TV Choreographers Association was revoked after Acharya became the general secretary.
Ganesh Acharya gave a statement to The Quint denying all the allegations leveled against him, “I’m not aware of the chargesheet or its contents. I have not been informed about this. I have already filed a defamation complaint against her, which is subjudice. I am innocent and all the allegations made against me are false, fabricated and malicious.”
He added, “I have full faith in our judicial process and the truth about the falsity of the allegations levelled against me would come out. As regards to the chargesheet, I will take necessary legal recourse as advised, at the relevant time.”
(With inputs from Hindustan Times and ETimes)
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