Kolkata, February 19 – Event organizer Tanay Shastri, who is facing a harassment case, has issued a notice for a defamation lawsuit against Bengali actress and former Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty.
Shastri informed on Thursday that a legal notice has been sent to Chakraborty, informing her to pay Rs 20 lakh as compensation or face legal action.
Chakraborty has not issued any official statement following the development.
Shastri told local media persons, "Mimi Chakraborty was paid Rs 2 lakh 65 thousand to attend our program. I have asked her to return the money as she did not come to the event on time. At the same time, she has defamed me without any reason. She filed a case against me and took me to court. She has sent me to judicial custody. My reputation has been damaged."
He added, "For this, I have demanded Rs 20 lakh from the actress. If she does not tender an apology or pay the money, the defamation case will be filed in court in the next two or three days. This is just the beginning. I will see the end to it."
Last month, Chakraborty was scheduled to perform at an event organized by Tanay Shastri in Bongaon of the North 24 Parganas district. She was the last artist of the night's performance.
Mimi claimed that Tanay removed her from the stage during the performance because it was midnight, and he did not have permission for the event to continue past that hour. She subsequently lodged a police complaint against him for unwarranted harassment. In response, Tanay submitted a counter-complaint, asserting that Mimi Chakraborty failed to arrive at the performance at the designated time. He had courteously requested her to leave the stage and did not engage in any form of harassment.
However, when the police went to his house to investigate the matter, he obstructed the officers.
Shastri and two of his associates were arrested for harassing Mimi and obstructing the police investigation.
A case was filed against him under the non-bailable section. After spending more than a week in judicial custody, the accused was granted bail on February 11. Now, with him serving the defamation notice against Mimi Chakraborty, another legal battle is likely to begin between the two.