Megha Sharma – A case study for what happens when sense goes on a smoke break

A week ago, one video went viral on the internet where a girl starts stripping in front of some people and policemen. The incident took place in Mumbai’s posh apartment complex in Lokhandwala. The lady in the video is a Mumbai based model who was living in that apartment as a paying guest where the incident took place. Apart from the video where she is stripping, many other videos related to the incident also came in social media where we can see her abusing a security guard of the building. As we go deeper into the story, it is not less than a Bollywood drama.

Model Megha Sharma, whose video of stripping in front of the cops went viral, narrated the whole incident to news agency ANI. Sharma told ANI that she wanted cigarettes and hence called the watchman to get her a few to which he refused saying that he was on duty. Later, she again asked the watchman if he could send any other security guard to get her cigarettes, but he again refused. Finally she went down to get herself a smoke but while having a word with the security guard as to why he couldn’t ask any of the security to get her cigarettes she claimed that the guard threw a fit and went on to call her ‘characterless’ and also commented on her attire. Provoked by what the guard said, she hit him and shortly another guard joined the argument. It was then she called the police and a team of Oshiwara Police arrived in 10 min.

The Police then asked her to come to the police station but she refused by saying that since there is no lady constable she would not go to the police station post midnight. Indeed, it seems like a case of harassment when the policemen are actually stopping her from going back to her apartment. According to Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code, Indian woman have the right to get interrogated in her house in presence of a lady constable or family member. So, she is right in her refusal of going with the police. However, this is just one part of the story that Megha Sharma decided to share.

Later, many social media users started posting videos of the incident prior to Megha Sharma’s altercations with the police. In the video it can be clearly seen that she is abusing the security guard.

Take a look at the video:-

As stated by one of the policemen, she was drunk when she called the guard and asked him to get cigarettes. Upon refusal, she started abusing the guard in her heavily drunken state. Here is what the police officer said, “The woman, who is a native of Dehradun, lives as a paying guest in the posh housing society of Lokhandwala. She was drinking inside her flat on the 15th floor of the building and asked the security guard Alok via intercom to get a packet of cigarette for her. The security guard however denied. Enraged, she came down and started to argue with Alok.”

Furthermore, Mumbai Police replied on Megha Sharma’s Twitter post from the official handle clarifying the fact that no one was taken to police station. In her post, she had alleged that she was harassed and that the Police were forcing her to go to the Police station post midnight without a lady constable. Here are the tweets:

https://twitter.com/MeghaSh77484473/status/1055893355283050501

Now let us come to the most controversial part of the story where Megha Sharma decided to strip her clothes. Well, apparently she did it out of frustration and anger to keep the cops away from taking her to the police station. In the video she can be seen shouting at top of her voice and threatening the guards and the policemen.

Confused? Well, so are we. Yes, we cannot deny the fact that the Police were at fault since they asked her to go with them post midnight without the presence of a female constable. But we also cannot deny the fact that the whole drama was unnecessary and is not fit for the society. And as far as the law is concerned under section 294 of Indian Penal code public nudity is a crime. In the video where Megha Sharma narrated the incident we can also see how she subtly played the woman card over and over.