Shweta Pandit has accused singer and composer Anu Malik of sexual harassment.
In a tweet posted yesterday, Pandit recalled an encounter she had with Anu Malik when she was 15 years old. “It has taken a lot in me to open up this wound again and speak up against this paedophile and sexual predator,” she says.
Had to go back to my worst memory as a teenage girl today to write this and speak up – its now or never. This is my #MeToo and have to warn young girls about #AnuMalik & let you know your #TimesUp @IndiaMeToo
Thank you @sonamohapatra for speaking up about him & supporting this pic.twitter.com/e261pGQyEq— Shweta Pandit (@ShwetaPandit7) October 17, 2018
Shweta was called by Anu Malik’s manager for work. She went with her mother but there came a moment where she was in a recording cabin room alone with Malik.
“He asked me to sing something without any music as he wanted to hear my voice. I remember I sang the title song of Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega as a voice test for this man. I sang it well so he said, “I’ll give you this song with Sunidhi and Shaan but first give me a kiss now”. He then smiled, what I’d recall the most evil grin I’ve seen. I went numb and pale in the face.”
She added, “I am sure many singers have been exploited by him as he is a known name for doing this to singers. I’d urge those singers/women to share their stories too.”
This isn’t the first time Anu Malik has faced such accusations. Last week, singer Sona Mohapatra had also called Malik a “serial predator”, a claim he had denied.
Also back in the 90’s, pop singer Alisha Chinai had filed a sexual harassment suit against Malik.
Said Chinai, “When I sued [Anu] Malik, I fought it alone. It was an unprecedented landmark verdict and a restraining order was passed against him. The man has repeatedly begged for my forgiveness.”
Regarding Shweta Pandit’s accusations, Anu Malik has denied all allegations, with his lawyer claiming, “The allegations made against my client are emphatically denied as completely false and baseless. My client respects the #MeToo Movement but to use this movement to start a character assassination mission is obnoxious.”
