KOLKATA: In a dramatic escalation of their ongoing feud, event organizer Tanay Shastri has slapped former Trinamool Congress MP and Bengali actress Mimi Chakraborty with a Rs 20 lakh defamation notice. The legal salvo comes amid a bitter dispute stemming from an alleged harassment incident at a cultural event last month.
Shastri, speaking exclusively to media outlets on Thursday, revealed that the notice demands compensation for the damage to his reputation or faces immediate court action. The controversy traces back to a cultural program in Bongaon, North 24 Parganas, where Chakraborty was scheduled as the finale performer.
According to Shastri, he paid the actress Rs 2.65 lakh for her appearance, but she failed to show up on time. When organizers asked for a refund, Chakraborty allegedly filed a harassment complaint against him, leading to his arrest and over a week in judicial custody.
‘I was humiliated publicly because of her false accusations,’ Shastri asserted. ‘She dragged my name through the mud, forcing me into jail on non-bailable charges. Now, it’s time for justice.’ He has given her a short window to apologize and pay up, threatening a defamation suit within days if unmet.
Chakraborty, on her part, claimed Shastri misbehaved with her after midnight when permissions to continue the event expired, prompting her police complaint. Police raids at Shastri’s home led to his arrest along with two associates on charges of harassment and obstructing investigation. Bail came on February 11 after prolonged detention.
As both sides dig in, legal experts predict a protracted courtroom battle that could tarnish reputations further. No response from Chakraborty’s camp has surfaced yet, leaving the public awaiting her counter-move in this high-stakes celebrity showdown.