The National Commission for Women (NCW) has issued fresh notices to Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, actresses Urvashi Rautela, Esha Gupta, Mouni Roy, and television actor Prince Narula for recording witness statements on a complaint filed by social activist Yogita Bhayana. In a tweet, NCW said that Bhayana has, in a complaint, alleged sexual and mental assault on several girls by Sunny Verma, the promoter of IMG Ventures, 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.
Taking serious note of their non-appearance, the commission adjourned the matter for August 18, asking them to appear before it and warned that non-appearance will be followed by action as per our procedures.
The development comes as the NCW has taken cognizance of a complaint filed by social activist and People against Rapes in India (PARI) founder Yogita Bhayana against the promoter of a company for allegedly blackmailing and sexually assaulting a number of girls on the pretext of giving them careers in modelling.Bhayana had also written a complaint letter to NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma.
Through his company, he (Sunny Verma) invites the girls on the pretext of organising a Miss Asia contest with a claim that the contest will launch them as models. To make it look genuine, his company has also been taking an entry fee of Rs 2,950. Once the girls apply, they are alluded by the female accomplices of Sunny Verma to submit their nude pictures in order to get the better ranking in the contest,” the complaint letter said.
It alleged that Verma, after receiving the pictures and sometimes even before, used to get in touch with the girls and ask for completely nude pictures and videos.Verma also used to allude as well as threaten the girls to submit to his sexual desires if they were interested in modelling as a career or wish to win the contest, it added.
Once he established a physical relationship with the girls, he used to blackmail them for regular sexual favours. Many girls from across the country have suffered a sexual and mental assault from Sunny and his accomplices.
