Surya case: Som Dutta threatens Kalappa of legal action

Entrepreneur Som Dutta has threatened to initiate legal proceedings against Congress spokesperson Brijesh Kalappa, after the latter held a presser over a viral audio clip. In the clip, Kalappa claimed that Som Dutta had alleged sexual harassment by Bangalore South candidate Tejasvi Surya, and she had informed the same to BJP leadership.

Dutta, who responded via Twitter, said that "most of the information being used is a total invasion of my privacy and it's being manipulated for a political witch hunt." Demanding an unconditional apology from such intruders, she wrote "Shame on Brijesh Kalappa for violating dignity of a woman for political gains.

I will soon initiate legal proceedings against him for outraging my modesty and violating my dignity."

Earlier, Kalappa had alleged that two other women have also been harassed by Surya and Dutta had also filed a police complaint at Koramangala Police Station.

Responding to her tweet on initiating legal proceedings, Kalappa wrote "Please do. I am always glad to face any proceedings.

Meanwhile, please listen to my press conference and try to make up your own mind if I have violated dignity of women or upheld it."

It can be recalled that Som Dutta had alleged harassment by Surya soon after his candidature was announced. She had then deleted the tweets and temporarily suspended her Twitter account. In her past tweets, she had accused Surya of being a "womaniser, abuser and woman beater", following which Surya got a gag order against the media on the issue. The High Court has reserved its order on a PIL seeking directions to quash the injunction order from a lower court.