Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt have filed a defamation suit in the Bombay High Court against actor Luviena Lodh on Monday (26 October), as per a report by IANS.
Last week, Luviena posted a video on social media claiming that Mahesh Bhatt has been harassing her. She also claimed that she had been married to his nephew Sumit Sabharwal, adding that she had filed for divorce since he 'supplies drugs to actors'. Lodh also alleged that Sumit was into supplying women and that Mahesh Bhatt was aware of that.
Luviena had said in the video, "If something should happen to me and my family, the only people who are responsible are Mahesh Bhatt, Mukesh Bhatt, Sumit Sabharwal, Sahil Saigal and Kumkum Saigal. People should at least get to know how many lives they have destroyed behind closed doors and the things they can do, because Mahesh Bhatt is extremely powerful and influential".
Now, Mukesh Bhatt has issued a statement saying, "As mentioned in our defamation plaint submitted in the court today (Monday), that Mr Sumit Sabharwal is only an employee in my production company Vishesh Films for over 20 years as opposed to Ms Luviena Lodh's claims that he is our relative in various media reports and publications".
Bhatt added in the statement, "Luviena Lodh has consciously and maliciously orchestrated a campaign along with her benefactors to nefariously defame and besmirch the good name and reputation of my brother and myself with the sole and ulterior motive to garner publicity in in the hopes that the same would motivate a lucrative out of court settlement in her matrimonial dispute with Sumit".
Earlier, Sumit had also denied allegations of abuse by Lodh. He also clarified that he is not related to the Bhatts. A statement released by Sumit's lawyers read, "The claims and contents of the video being circulated by our client’s estranged wife Mrs. Luveena Lodh are denied in toto. Our client expresses his deepest regret that the good name of Mr. Mahesh Bhatt & Mr. Mukesh Bhatt (herein after referred to as the Bhatt Brother’s) is being sullied solely due to his pending (since 2016) matrimonial dispute with his wife. It is made amply clear that our client is merely and employee of M/s Vishesh Films Pvt Ltd. and NOT related to either of the Bhatt Brother’s as has falsely and maliciously been sought to be made out by the video’s in question. Every attempt being made in order to formulate a relation between our client and the Bhatt brothers must be construed as a well-crafted conspiracy to precipitate and motivate a lucrative settlement for her disputes with our client; as is amply made clear in her interviews as well".
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