South Indian actor Amala Paul has issued a public statement in order to protect her manager Pradeep Kumar after a section of media reports suggested his hand in the sexual harassment incident faced by the actor. In the statement, she also revealed that the accused who approached her with ill-intentions was a member of an organised sex racket. Not just Amala’s, he also had all the information, including phone numbers of other actresses, who were part of the star show that happened earlier this month in Malaysia.
Amala said the person in question invited her to attend a special dinner after the event in Malaysia. Amala asked him to elaborate on what is ‘special dinner’. “…he shrugged and said don’t be a fool, you are not a kid. I got startled because when I looked around no one was present at that moment aside me and him and this disgusting conversation,” she noted in her statement.
After his conversation, he waited outside the studio, where Amala was practising for her performance, for a ‘positive answer.’
Amala earlier this month filed the complaint saying she suspected a close source to the event must have been involved as the accused, who approached her exactly knew about her whereabouts at the time.
“Thank you Vishal for standing by me and assuring me that I must not let it go, and I didn’t, now I believe it’s every woman’s duty, to not let it go and stand for themselves. He was ready to trade me off like a meatloaf, his guts make me sick, his existence makes me sick #MeToo,” Amala wrote on her Twitter account, thanking actor Vishal, who had issued a statement lauding her bold move following the incident.
Here is the full statement issued by Amala Paul:
“On 31st Jan while I was practising at a Chennai based studio for a dance performance. A man entered the premises and approached me saying there is something important he needs to discuss with me regarding the event. He offered me to attend a special dinner after the event which was to be concluded in Malaysia. When I cross questioned him what special dinner he is talking about, he shrugged and said don’t be a fool, you are not a kid. I got startled, because when I looked around no one was present at that moment aside me and him and this disgusting conversation. While this guy went out the studio, saying he is waiting for my positive answer, I called my well-wishers and staff to come to my rescue. It took them 30 odd minutes to reach to the spot and catch hold of him, while he was patiently and confidently stood outside the studio as if this is his normal day at a business negotiation. Seeing my team approaching towards him, he tried to escape the situation by saying ‘she can also say ‘no’ if she doesn’t want, what’s the big deal?’. When he tried to push my team and run, they caught hold of him and locked him up in the studio. While this ordeal was going on, I realised he is a member of an organised sex racket as he had my latest number stored in his phone and had all the information related to me and other actresses performing in the event. When the police arrived to the scene on complaints of nuisance by the locals around the studio, we submitted this guy to the Mamangalam police station T Nagar. I too rushed to the police station to file FIR
