Govt not biased towards Patekar, police will probe if plaint is filed: Minister

Mumbai: Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar said Thursday there will be a fair probe if actor Tanushree Dutta files a police complaint against Nana Patekar, following up on her allegations that he misbehaved with her during the shooting of a film in 2008. Kesarkar, the minister of state for home (rural), also asserted that the government was not biased towards Patekar.

The Shiv Sena minister had said Wednesday that Patekar is an “illustrious personality” who had done a lot for the state, and asked why Dutta did not file a police complaint in the past 10 years.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Kesarkar said, “When an official complaint is lodged, police will be able to probe the case transparently so that justice is done to both the sides.” 

The state government was not prejudiced or biased towards anybody and all are equal before the law, he added. “Yesterday, I had only said that Nana Patekar has done a lot of work in the state as a social worker. A formal complaint will ensure that nobody’s name is maligned and justice is meted out to both,” the minister said.

Dutta alleged recently that Patekar misbehaved with her on the set of the film “Horn Ok Pleasss” in 2008. She also alleged that he had the tacit support of the film’s makers.

On Wednesday, Kesarkar seemed to be backing Patekar. “He (Patekar) is not just an actor” but “also a social activist who has done tremendous work for the state”, Kesarkar had added, “You just cannot level allegations against anybody.

“What is the substantial evidence on which a complaint can be registered a decade after the incident took place?” Kesarkar had further asked.