Mumbai: The MIDC police on Wednesday registered an FIR against The Viral Fever (TVF) CEO Arunabh Kumar for reportedly sexually harassing his women colleagues. The police took this step after a 27-year-old survivor (a writer-director) approached them complaining that she had been the target of Kumar’s alleged misdemeanours a year ago.
TVF is a popular online digital entertainment company.
The issue came to light early this month after a social media post accusing Kumar of sexual harassment went viral. Several women came forward on different social media platforms to complain about Kumar’s alleged misconduct. TVF terms the allegations “ludicrous” and “defamatory”.
The survivor has on her Facebook page accused Kumar of touching her inappropriately during a shoot.
In her post, the writer-director has written: “I was shooting with him (Kumar) in the TVF office…The first time we met at the recce, he asked me to send him my work. When we met on the day of the shoot, I asked him if he had seen the links. To this he said ‘why don’t you come over to my place and we can watch them together. We can also watch a movie. Which movie do you want to watch?’ I politely evaded the question and continued briefing him about the shoot. As I talked, he placed his hand on my hand. In the middle of the shoot, he touched my shoulder tattoo and tells me he finds it sexy. After every other shot, he would come over to the monitor to see how the shot looked, but at the same time graze his hand against my waist.”
The victim raised the matter with her superior. “I remember telling my producer how creepy it was and how I couldn’t wait for the shoot to be over. My producer made sure I wasn’t alone with Arunabh Kumar for the rest of the shoot. I also told someone at the agency about it. Do I wish I had retaliated immediately? Yes. I didn’t because the agency and the client would have both suffered. In hindsight, that was wrong and I am sure they would have supported my decision. But today, I had to choose between keeping quiet and extending my support to a girl who has bravely spoken up. So I am choosing to do the right thing. TVF can release as many ‘official responses’ rubbishing these claims as they would like. This is my truth,” she has mentioned in her social media post.
Shailesh Pasalwar, senior inspector of MIDC police station, confirmed the development. “I am unable to divulge details as it is a sensitive matter,” said Pasalwar. An anonymous post accusing Arunabh Kumar, CEO and founder of The Viral Fever (TVF), of sexual harassment goes viral
* The incident snowballs into a huge controversy and more women take to social media to complain about Kumar’s alleged misdemeanours