Ekta Kapoor and her mother Shobha Kapoor have responded to the case filed against them under the POCSO Act concerning the ALT Balaji web series Gandi Baat. In an official statement issued on Tuesday, they denied the allegations and clarified their roles within the company.
Through ALTBalaji's official Instagram, the statement emphasised that neither Shobha nor Ekta Kapoor is involved in the company’s daily operations. It stated, "With reference to various media reports regarding the web series Gandi Baat, ALT Digital Media Entertainment Ltd. (Company) hereby clarifies that it is fully compliant with all applicable laws, including the POCSO Act, and any reference to engagement of minors by the company is entirely incorrect."
The statement further explained that the mother-daughter duo is not part of the day-to-day management, which is handled by independent teams. It added, "Mrs. Shobha Kapoor and Ms. Ektaa R Kapoor are not involved in the day-to-day operations of the company, including content strategy, which is managed by separate teams. The company has full faith in the judiciary and is cooperating with authorities in the investigation. As the matter is sub-judice, the company refrains from commenting further."
The Mumbai Police had questioned both Ekta and Shobha Kapoor, who were booked under the POCSO Act for allegedly depicting inappropriate scenes involving minors in an episode of 'Gandi Baat'. They were asked to return for further questioning on October 24. The police are also seeking details on the actors involved in the series and will be recording statements from the actors and director.
Additionally, the police have requested specific documents related to ALT Balaji. The case pertains to season 6 of Gandi Baat, which aired between February and April 2021 on the OTT platform ALT Balaji. The controversial episode is no longer available on the platform.
Meanwhile, Ekta Kapoor's drama film 'Love, Sex aur Dhokha 2' (LSD 2), directed by Dibakar Banerjee, was released on April 19. The film presents a stark commentary on society’s digital obsession, illustrated by a couple’s simultaneous engagement in intimacy and technological detachment
