Pooja Bedi calls out Shilpa Shinde over false sexual harassment complaint admission: 'Genuine victims suffer

Actor Shilpa Shinde has sparked fresh debate after admitting that the sexual harassment complaint she filed against Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain producer Sanjay Kohli was false. Her remarks, made during a recent podcast appearance, have drawn strong reactions from actor Pooja Bedi and singer actor Karan Oberoi.

Shilpa, who left Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain in 2016 amid a dispute with the makers, spoke about the case during a conversation with Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa. The actress claimed she filed the complaint because she felt she had no other way to get her grievances addressed.

Reacting to her statement, Pooja Bedi criticised the misuse of laws designed to protect victims. Speaking to Variety India, she said, “Any woman who weaponizes laws meant to protect victims, be it for revenge, personal gain, leverage, publicity, or malice, is betraying the very cause those laws were created to serve. False accusations not only destroy innocent lives but also make it harder for genuine survivors to be believed. Such misuse of the law is unacceptable and must carry serious consequences."

Pooja further stated that false complaints can undermine the experiences of real victims and make it more difficult for them to seek justice. She stressed that laws meant to protect vulnerable individuals should not be used for other purposes.

Singer and actor Karan Oberoi, who has previously spoken about facing a false allegation himself, also weighed in on the issue. He argued that fabricated complaints hurt genuine survivors and can leave a lasting impact on those accused.

“A false case is more anti women than anti men! Because genuine victims suffer on account of it. One false case has the propensity to cast aspersions on a hundred genuine cases,” he said.

Explaining her actions, Shilpa stated, “The case ended. Nobody knows this, and I’m not afraid of telling the truth. Even today, I will say this because it is a big thing. I filed a sexual harassment case against my producer because I had no other option.”

Her comments have reignited discussions around accountability, legal safeguards and the wider consequences of false complaints on both accused individuals and genuine complainants.