Alok Nath falls to #MeToo axe\, CINTAA expels actor

Mumba

Alok Nath falls to #MeToo axe, CINTAA expels actor

Actor Alok Nath

Actor Alok Nath   | Photo Credit: AFP

more-in

Nath did not turn up for meeting with Vinta Nanda

The Cine and TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) on Tuesday expelled actor Alok Nath who has been accused of harassing several actors and raping director and producer Vinta Nanda.

CINTAA through its Twitter handle said that in view of various allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct against Alok Nath, after due diligence and consideration, its executive committee had decided to expel him.

The decision was reportedly taken when the association called for a meeting between Ms. Nanda and Mr. Nath, but the actor did not attend it. Ms. Nanda had shared earlier her horrific experiences with Mr. Nath on social media, after other instances of sexual harassment came out in the public domain.

On October 8, Ms. Nanda posted a Facebook status, recalling Mr. Nath’s misconduct on the sets of the popular 90s TV show Tara. The post talked about how Mr. Nath ‘viciously’ molested the protagonist of the show. It said, “I can remember more liquor being poured into my mouth and I remember being violated endlessly. When I woke up the next afternoon, I was in pain. I hadn’t just been raped, I was taken to my own house and had been brutalised...”

Subsequently, two more actors Deepika Amin and and Renuka Shahane had come out in Ms. Nanda’s support and recounted episodes of misconduct they had experienced with Mr. Nath. Ms. Nanda had, on October 17, submitted an application seeking an FIR against Mr. Nath for allegedly sexually assaulting her 19 years ago at the Oshiwara police station.

On October 26, the City Civil and Sessions Court at Dindoshi rejected an application filed by Mr. Nath's wife Ashu Nath, seeking a restraining order against Ms. Nanda from talking about being allegedly raped by him 19 years ago. The Court had observed that Mr Nath’s wife cannot intervene in a matter pertaining to him.