Choreographer Ganesh Acharya charged with sexual harassment, stalking, voyeurism by Mumbai Police: Report

Bollywood choreographer Ganesh Acharya has been charged with sexual harassment, stalking and voyeurism by the Mumbai Police in a case filed by one of his co-dancers in 2020 according to latest reports. The chargesheet was recently filed in a Mumbai magistrate court as stated by Oshiwara police officer Sandeep Shinde who had investigated the complaint. Reports further said that Ganesh Acharya and his assistant have been charged under sections 354-a (sexual harassment), 354-c (voyeurism), 354-d (stalking), 509 (insulting the modesty of any woman), 323 (causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention to commit an offence) of the Indian Penal Code. The assistant choreographer reportedly said that she was informed about the chargesheet being filed, however, Ganesh Acharya has not reacted to the development yet. The popular choreographer, who was accused of sexual harassment by his co-workers, had denied the charges in the past and described them as “false and baseless”. When an FIR was filed against him in 2020, his legal team reportedly filed a defamation case against the complainant. The report also stated the co-dancer alleged that Ganesh had been harassing her after she turned down his sexual advances. She even accused him of passing lewd comments, showing her porn movie and molesting her. According to the woman, in 2019, Ganesh had asked her to have sex with him if she wants to succeed in the industry. She refused, and six months later, she said, the Indian Film and Television Choreographers Association terminated her membership. She even claimed that at a meeting in 2020, the choreographer allegedly abused her and his assistants assaulted her after she refused his advances. For more news and updates, stay tuned to ETimes.