Renowned for her portrayal of Roshan Sodhi in the hit television series Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal made headlines when she accused Asit Kumar Modi, the show’s producer, of inappropriate sexual behavior at work. The producers Asit Kumar Modi, Sohil Ramani, and Jatin Ramani were sued for sexual harassment by actress Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal last year.
A glimmer of optimism has emerged in the case due to her continuous struggle. The actress approached the Government of Maharashtra for assistance after the Mumbai police failed to provide a response. The establishment of the Local Complaints Committee led to a short four-month investigation under the 2013 Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, which found Asit Kumar Modi guilty. When ETimes TV inquired about the situation, Jennifer Mistry, the actress, confirmed the information.
Several actors from the program, including Monika Bhadoriya, Priya Ahuja Rajda, and former director Malav Rajda, came forward to share their experiences of mistreatment on the sets after Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal’s initial reporting on the issue on ETimes TV last year.
Reversing her initial refusal to discuss the situation, actress Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal has now agreed to be open and honest about it. She has acknowledged the information and shared her conflicted thoughts regarding the case’s resolution. Her displeasure with the outcome is evident, even if she recognizes it as a victory.
Substantial evidence supported my claims, and the decision is in my favor.
In my case of sexual harassment against the producer of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, I named my former producer Asit Kumar Modi, operation head Sohil Ramani, and executive producer Jatin Bajaj. After multiple follow-ups with police authorities yielded no results, I filed an appeal with the Maharashtra government. The Local Complaints Committee’s establishment led to a short four-month investigation that found Asit Kumar Modi guilty under the 2013 Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act. I’m sad to report that for the past year, the police were unable to accomplish this. The jury found my allegations, well-supported by evidence, to be true. What the cops have accomplished in the last year is not equal to this result.
Rs 5 lakh is the amount that Asit Kumar Modi is required to pay.
I have an order for Asit Kumar Modi to pay me the amount I owe plus an extra sum of money (about Rs 25–30 lakh) for purposefully withholding my payment. For harassment, Mr. Modi is subject to an additional penalty of Rs 5 lakh. Though I was advised not to share the verdict with the media, it was released on February 15, 2024. But the most important thing, in my opinion, is a woman’s image. I earned my due amount through hard work on the serial, but it has been more than 40 days and I still haven’t received it. All three accused parties have remained unpunished even after Mr. Modi was found guilty of sexual harassment. It breaks my heart that Sohil and Jatin were left out of the verdict. I deserve the sum that the local committee ordered. This decision makes it evident that neither my case nor my intentions were to obtain undeserved attention. Although I am relieved that my harassment was acknowledged, I do not yet feel as though I have been fairly compensated.
Disappointed with the decision
Despite his guilt, Mr. Modi received no penalty from the court. Even though they both committed comparable crimes, Sohil Ramani and Jatin Bajaj were left out of the decision. Mr. Modi, Sohil, and Jatin have mistreated me at work, but the ruling does not force them to apologize. It’s possible that others will be motivated to commit similar acts by the meager pay offered. Ignoring crimes with modest payments is the message this sends, if I take it. Paying a verdict is not a good way to gauge a woman’s self-respect, particularly because the majority of the committee consisted of women. The police authorities were unresponsive when I tried to get justice from them. Even after almost ten months since the FIR was filed on June 19, no charge sheet has been filed, despite my husband and I making multiple trips to the police station while my ten-year-old daughter remained at home alone.
Thank you, attorney.
My lawyer, Ammitt Khare, from Nagpur, assisted me during my year-long battle alone, which makes this triumph noteworthy. It could inspire other mistreated women to come forward. However, the settlement does not cover all my medical bills, lost wages, reputational harm, and psychological anguish. Encouraged by my attorney, spouse, family, and friends, I will keep fighting for justice. Nevertheless, it gets me thinking about how much more difficult it must be for regular women to pursue justice.