Indian model and actor Poonam Pandey along with her partner and former husband, Sam Bombay, as per Times of India and Hindustan Times), have been booked in an INR1 billion defamation lawsuit filed by Mumbai resident, Faizan Ansari.
The case, filed with the Kanpur Police Commissioner, ropes in the duo for down playing with the gravity of a serious disease, especially cancer. The lawsuit also accuses the pair for orchestrating a false conspiracy by lying about Poonam’s death.
The FIR claims that Bombay and Pandey’s actions were motivated by personal publicity.
The Mumbai resident, Ansari, sought financial and moral compensation by booking the couple and also requesting the authorities to comprehend the culprits for their tasteless stunt.
“Poonam Pandey and her husband Sameer Bombay have fabricated a false conspiracy of death. Along with this, they have made a joke out of diseases like cancer. Poonam orchestrated the drama for publicity and played with the emotions of millions of Indians and the Bollywood film industry,” read a part of an FIR published by Times of India.
The fiasco began on February 2 when Pandey’s official Instagram handle shared the shocking news of her demise due to cervical cancer, a move that received widespread attention and mourning. However, Pandey released a video shortly after revealing that she did not become a subject of cervical cancer, but other women have lost their lives. Pandey claimed that the motive was to draw attention towards cervical cancer and educating people.
In n Instagram video, Pandey said, “I am alive. I didn’t die of cervical cancer. Unfortunately, I can’t say that about those hundreds and thousands of women who have lost their lives because of cervical cancer.”
Pandey and her stunt were severely criticized by the internet, including serious authorities such as the All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA). The AICWA denounced Poonam’s actions, labelling them as “highly wrong” and “unacceptable.” The film organisation has called for the filing of an FIR against both Poonam and her manager.
