5 min readMumbaiUpdated: Dec 30, 2015 10:11 AM IST
TV actress Smita Bansal says she was shocked when she learned that her sister-in-law Megha Gupta had filed an FIR under section 498 (A) against her and her family in Gurgaon. Megha had also accused the Balika Vadhu actress of stealing her jewellery.
TV actress Smita Bansal says she was shocked when she learned that her sister-in-law Megha Gupta had filed an FIR under section 498 (A) against her and her family in Gurgaon. Megha had also accused the Balika Vadhu actress of stealing her jewellery.
In an exclusive conversation with Indianexpress.com, Smita Bansal denied all charges of theft and dowry harassment levelled against her by Megha.
Ques: Your sister-in-law, Megha has levelled serious allegations against you and your family. What do you have to say?
Smita: I am shocked. Two people (Megha and husband Saurabh) have been through a divorce and divorce is not a taboo anymore. My brother (Saurabh) and bhabhi (Megha) were settled in London and were not in India. They have been going through the divorce proceedings for the past two months. One day I get up at 8 in the morning and get clippings from all over Gurgaon from my friend stating that I have been accused of robbery. I don’t even know when I got involved in this? As of now, I am in a state of shock. And secondly, I don’t know why I am being dragged into it? They are in London. Divorce is filed in London and not here. I don’t know how an FIR has been filed against me here?
Ques: Megha has accused you of stealing her jewellery and wearing it for a function. Did something like that ever happen?
Smita: I don’t know what she is talking about. I am an actress and I am very particular about what I wear. Most of our clothes for functions and events are done by designers. At times, we have to hire them. There wouldn’t be any need for me to take any of my sister-in-law’s jewellery and wear them in the first place. Secondly, assuming without admitting that even if I did wear which is a very far fetched idea, in a family it does happen that you end up sharing things with other women folks. That doesn’t mean that I have stolen it. I must have definitely given it back. But that is if I wore it. My husband’s sister lives in my building. So, when we go for parties, we do exchange earrings. Now that happens if I am living in the same city and in the same building. It is impossible to do that if someone is staying in London and I am here in India. Also, if she is saying I stole her jewellery, she should produce proof for it.
Ques: What kind of an equation did you share with Megha?
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Smita: She has been married for six years and was settled in London. I being an actor end up working 30 days a month. I get very few off days. So, in six years, I must have spent some 30 days with her on and off. I neither had a good or bad relationship with her. I have hardly met her to have a relationship.
Ques: What do you have say about the dowry accusations that she has levelled against you and your family?
Smita: What would a woman whose husband is asking for a divorce in London and getting a divorce in London do to harass her husband? What can she do? The divorce in London is going through. The financial settlement is happening there. How and why will you drag us? I think it is only for harassing us because I am a known face and it’s easy to drag me into. Otherwise why would a woman who I have not met much drag me in to it?
Ques: So you are saying all these allegations have been made only to harass you and your family?
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Smita: Yes. Also I would really want to say this with my experience about our system. If a woman makes false dowry accusations, there should be something to protect people who have not asked for dowry and are still being framed for it. In our country, woman power rules. When a woman says it and an FIR gets filed, it’s important that there should be a machinery to safeguard our rights.
Ques: What will your future course of action be?
Smita: This is the first time in my life that I have been dragged into something like this. I am consulting my lawyers and I have full faith in our judicial system. Let’s hope truth prevails.
TV actress Smita Bansal says she was shocked when she learned that her sister-in-law Megha Gupta had filed an FIR under section 498 (A) against her and her family in Gurgaon. Megha had also accused the Balika Vadhu actress of stealing her jewellery.