'Bhangi' controversy: 'Not arrested, went for interrogation,' claims Munmun Dutta
Actor Munmun Dutta, most popular for her stint on Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (TMKOC), has denied that she was arrested in the casteist slur controversy. She emphasized that she went to Hansi Police station "for a regular interrogation." Reports had claimed that she was arrested by Hansi, Haryana Police on Monday, after she was interrogated. But that's not the case, she said.
What did the actor claim?
Talking to Bollywood Bubble, Dutta said, "Contrary to rumors claiming that I was 'arrested,' I want to clarify that I went in for a regular interrogation with the police officials. I was not arrested." "In fact, I had received the interim bail from the court already on Friday before I went in for the interrogation," she added, informing that she is "on sets shooting."
Don't create false narratives, Dutta tells media
Dutta said she was questioned for two and a half hours at the Hansi Police Station. The police officers "were extremely polite and well-behaved. I have been cooperating with the police and will continue to do so," she said. The actor urged the media to not "create false narratives around the case, just for headlines."
Dutta says she's 'deeply upset'
"I'm deeply upset with the stories that are being spun around the case. The clickbait headlines and thumbnails being used by portals are deeply disturbing and unethical, to say the least," Dutta signed off. The fiasco started when she uttered the casteist slur "bhangi" online last year. Bhangi is actually a disadvantaged community designated Scheduled Caste status.
What happened after complaints were filed?
Several complaints were filed against Dutta in Hisar, UP, Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan, and MP. Last year, the Supreme Court agreed to club these cases as per her appeal. Then on January 28, a special court in Hisar rejected Dutta's anticipatory bail plea, increasing the chances of her getting arrested. On Monday, Dainik Bhaskar reported that she had been arrested after four hours of questioning.
Dutta not the first celebrity to utter the slang
The report added Dutta was released on interim bail, but her clarification refutes these claims. Concerned police officials have not yet issued any note. To note, Dutta is not the first known face to land in trouble for uttering the slur. Actor Yuvika Choudhary was also booked last year, while Salman Khan and Shilpa Shetty were summoned by the police for using the slur.
