Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane avoid Vikas Bahl and Madhu Mantena in courtOct 27 (AZINS) The Bombay High Court on Thursday set November 21 as the next date of hearing Vikas Bahl’s Rs 10 crore defamation case against Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane. The Queen director has sued his two former partners of Phantom Films (now dissolved) for their statements in the media with regards to a sexual harassment complaint against him in 2015, in the wake of the recent #MeToo Movement.

During the previous hearing on Tuesday, the statement of the victim was analysed and debated. On Thursday, she filed an affidavit in support of her statement that she had submitted to the court earlier this week. While she didn’t want to pursue the case and move on, Bahl’s lawyer had reportedly insisted that she be made a party to give his client a fair chance to prove his innocence. On Thursday, the lady filed the affidavit and stated on oath that her allegations against Bahl are true.

Kashyap and Motwane also reportedly filed their affidavits with additional evidence of WhatsApp messages. Mantena, too, submitted his statement, as directed by Justice Shahrukh J Kathawalla, the single bench judge presiding over this case. With new submissions being made, Justice Kathawalla, didn’t grant any injunction to Bahl, restraining Kashyap and Motwane from making statements in the media or give an order as initially expected by the parties.

Although the former Phantom partners were present for the hearing, they seemed to be divided into two camps. While Kashyap and Motwane clearly appeared to be a duo, the seemingly neutral Mantena was spotted having an animated conversation with Bahl. However, Mantena wasn’t seen interacting with his ex-associates, Kashyap and Motwane.