Tanushree Dutta and Nana Patekar case: CINTAA set to open reinvestigation

Mumbai: Cine and TV Artists Association (CINTAA) said it is ready to readdress Tanushree Dutta's sexual harassment allegation against Nana Patekar "by conducting a fair and expeditious" inquiry.

The body had earlier said it did not "address" the allegations by Dutta when she approached them in 2008.

Dutta had filed a complaint with CINTAA a decade ago after she felt uncomfortable shooting a song with Patekar for the film "Horn Ok Pleassss".

"If she asks us to reinvestigate the matter then we have told her that we will offer all possible support. But she has not yet officially come to us. Although we have spoken and written to her (regarding the matter) she is yet to revert," Amit Behl, Senior Joint Secretary, CINTAA told PTI.

"But we also want to hear Nana's side of the story. We have sent a communication to Nana also," Behl added.

In the letter, CINTAA has asked Patekar to share his side of the story before the body issues any more statements.

In a letter addressed to Dutta, which CINTAA shared with PTI, the body states it had a meeting with her on October 3 and "there is no second opinion about our intent of protecting our members' rights, their dignity and self-respect".

"If you desire, we would readdress your grievances by conducting a fair and expeditious inquiry in a joint meeting where both the parties and both sides (ie you and Mr Nana Patekar), also since you mentioned the names of Mr Rakesh Sarang (director), Mr Ganesh Acharya (choreographer) and the producer Mr Siddiqui.

"We want to ensure that this case can be heard in a fair and unbiased manner, by connecting with the associations, wherein the above mentioned names are members," the letter read.