The National Commission for Women has sent a notice to filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, actors Mouni Roy, Urvashi Rautela, Esha Gupta and TV personalities Rannvijay Singha and Prince Narula for allegedly endorsing a modelling firm accused of assaulting women.
Tweeting about the same, Rekha Sharma, the chairperson of NCW said—
Issued a notice to @MaheshNBhatt@UrvashiRautela @eshagupta2811@rannvijaysingha @Roymouni @princenarula88 for recording of witness statements on a complaint received from Ms @yogitabhayana, Founder @pariforindia, alleging sexual and mental assault on several girls by Promoter of IMG Ventures, Mr Sunny Verma and his accomplice. Despite directing to appear before the Commission and intimating the same through all possible modes of communication, these people have neither bothered to respond nor attended the scheduled meeting.
Rekha further went on to say that—
NCW has taken serious note of their non-appearance. The meeting has been adjourned to the next date, ie, on August 18 at 11.30 AM. You will be sent formal notices again and non-appearance will be followed by action as per our procedures.
Speaking to IANS over a call, the founder of People Against Rapes in India (PARI), Yogita Bhayana, who filed the complaint, said, “I want to convey that if these people can unofficially ask IMG Ventures to remove their videos from their website why did they not answer or reply to NCW in today’s hearing?”
The social activist further went on to say—
They are double-faced people who want to disassociate with Sunny Verma and his bad deeds and at the same time are afraid to say that they were associated with him in the past.
According to the complaint by Bhayana, Sunny Verma — the promoter of IMG Ventures — had been threatening and sexually assaulting a number of women in the context of providing them with modelling opportunities. Many actors from the film and television industry have been promoting his firm through video advertisements.
Her complaint also mentioned that to make it look authentic, his company also fixed an entry fee of Rs 2,950. Once the girls applied, they were allegedly coaxed by Sunny Verma’s female associates to share vulnerable images of theirs in the promise of receiving better work opportunities.