Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal has lodged a police complaint alleging that she has been receiving rape threats on 'Instagram' after she wrote to the Centre demanding filmmaker Sajid Khan's ouster from reality show Bigg Boss.
She has submitted the complaint to the Delhi Police's Cyber Crime Unit and sought immediate registration of an FIR and arrest of the perpetrators.
A senior police officer said that a case has been registered and investigation initiated.
In a letter to Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on October 10, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson had said that several women had levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Khan during the #MeToo movement.
In 2018, during the #MeToo movement, over 10 actresses, models and journalists spoke out against Khan that led to his suspension from the Indian Film and Television Directors' Association and from directing movies for an year, she said.
"However, recently, in an apparent attempt to 'whitewash' his image, he has been made a 'housemate' in the popular TV show Bigg Boss. Ever since the commission acted in the matter on October 10, threats are being received online on the Instagram account of DCW Chief Swati Maliwal. In the threats, the men have stated that Maliwal deserves to be raped," the commission said.
Maliwal had also appealed to Union Minister Thakur to take "urgent" action and get Khan removed from the show and banned permanently.
"I have been receiving rape threats for supporting voices of #MeToo survivors. Clearly, these are attempts to intimidate the commission and thwart its statutory work. I have submitted a complaint with Delhi Police," she said.
"An FIR must be registered and such criminals need to be arrested and put behind bars immediately. If I can face rape threats for doing my work, imagine the problems the #MeToo survivors must have faced over the years. Men who enjoy clout in the entertainment industry can not be allowed to get away with their crimes. I appeal to the minister to take urgent action and get Sajid Khan removed from Bigg Boss and banned permanently," Maliwal said.
India's #MeToo movement started in 2018 and had escalated sharply with many women coming forward with their complaints against popular personalities.
(With PTI inputs)
