Mahesh Bhatt's legal team denies filmmaker received NCW notice

Mumbai

The legal team of Mahesh Bhatt has stated that the filmmaker has not received any notice from National Commission for Women (NCW) in a case related to alleged blackmail and sexual assault.

On Thursday, it was reported that NCW has issued fresh notices to Bhatt along with actors Urvashi Rautela, Esha Gupta, Mouni Roy and TV personality Prince Narula, to record their statements against an accused charged with alleged blackmail and sexual assault of a number of women, on the pretext of providing modelling opportunities.

The reports on media and social media further stated that the fresh notices came after the celebrities, who allegedly promoted the accused's company, IMG Venture, failed to appear at the hearing before NCW, which it had scheduled for August 6.

Bhatt's legal team clarified that the filmmaker did not receive any such notice or any form of communication from NCW.

"Our client would like to bring to your attention that our client has not received any such notice from NCW as mentioned in your tweets. We understand that your notice has been issued for seeking our client's presence as a witness. Our client is ready and willing to offer all cooperation that is required by your good office. In any event, our client would like to place on record that neither he is associated with IMG Venture or his promoter nor with the complainant Ms. Yogita Bhayana nor any incident mentioned in your tweets in any manner whatsoever," read a letter sent to NCW on behalf of the filmmaker.

The complaint against Sunny Verma, promoter of IMG Venture, was filed by People Against Rape in India (PARI) founder Yogita Bhayana. According to the complaint, Verma has been blackmailing and sexually assaulting a number of women on the pretext of giving them modelling opportunities.

On August 2, a clarification was issued on behalf of Mahesh Bhatt declaring that the filmmaker is not involved with IMG Venture.

"The allegations made against our client Mr. Mahesh Bhatt are made without verification of true and correct facts. We are taking legal action against all the news agencies who have reported false and defamatory articles," Ameet Naik, legal counsel and advocate for the Bhatt production house, Vishesh Films, had said.