Jennifer Mistry Wins Sexual Assualt Case Against Asit Modi
Actress Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal, renowned for her portrayal of Mrs. Roshan Sodhi in the popular TV series Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, has emerged victorious in a sexual harassment case against the show’s producer, Asit Modi, as reported by Times Entertainment on Tuesday (March 26th). The court has ruled in her favor, ordering Modi to pay her a total of Rs 30 lakh. This sum encompasses compensation for the sexual harassment allegations as well as Jennifer’s outstanding dues from the show.
Last year, Jennifer initiated legal proceedings by filing a sexual harassment case against producer Asit Kumar Modi, Sohil Ramani, and Jatin Ramani. Initially met with silence from the Mumbai Police, Jennifer sought assistance from the Maharashtra government. Consequently, a local complaints committee was established to expedite the resolution process. Within a span of four months, the committee concluded its investigation, finding TMKOC’s producer Asit Kumar Modi culpable under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act of 2013.
According to ETimes TV, the actress has indeed confirmed the news of the case verdict ruling in her favor.
Jennifer, who portrayed the character of Mrs. Sodhi for 15 years, took the decision to exit the show. Subsequently, she levied serious allegations of both mental and sexual harassment against the show’s producer, Asit Kumarr Modi. Additionally, she accused project head Sohail Ramani and executive producer Jatin Bajaj of displaying rude behavior towards her. The situation escalated further when other actors from the show, such as Monika Bhadoriya, Priya Ahuja Rajda, and former director Malav Rajda, also came forward with allegations of mistreatment on the sets.
Asit Modi to Pay Rs 30 Lakh To Jenifer Mistry
“The verdict is in my favor, confirming the allegations I made with strong evidence,” Jennifer stated, as quoted in the ETimes report.
As per the report, the court has ordered Asit Modi to pay Jennifer her rightful dues along with additional compensation for intentionally withholding her payment. In total, he has been instructed to pay Rs 25-30 lakh to her, with an additional Rs 5 lakh imposed on him for harassment.
According to the report, the verdict was delivered on February 15, 2024. Despite this, Jennifer claimed that even after 40 days had passed, she still hadn’t received her rightful amount.
While the show’s producer was found guilty of sexual harassment, the report stated that no punishment had been meted out to all three accused individuals.
Expressing her disappointment, the actor mentioned that the verdict didn’t encompass Sohil and Jatin. She stated, “The local committee ordered my due amount, which I deserve. This verdict clears that my case was not fabricated, and I wasn’t seeking cheap publicity. While I’m glad my harassment was recognized, I don’t feel I’ve received proper justice yet.”
Meanwhile, when contacted, Asit Kumar Modi told ETimes TV that he had no knowledge of the situation. He said, “I have no idea about this. Mujhe iska kuch bhi pata nahi hai.”
