Mumbai: Bollywood actor Alok Nath on Monday filed a civil suit in a court against writer-director Vinta Nanda in connection with her rape accusations against him, and sought Rs 1 as damages for allegedly defaming him.

Meanwhile, Mr Nath’s wife Ashu recorded her statement before a magistrate in connection with her complaint against Nanda and sought that defamation proceeding be initiated against the writer-director. Responding to the development, Nanda’s lawyer Dhruti Kapadia said that they are going to fight the matter legally.

Nath moved the Dindos-hi sessions court with a civil suit seeking Rs 1 as damages and an apology from Nanda for defaming him.

The actor and his wife had on Saturday filed an application before the An-dheri metropolitan magistrate, seeking a direction to the suburban Amboli police station to take cognisance of the letter sent by them in which they sought defamation proceedings against Nanda.

Ashu on Monday appear-ed before the magistrate R.M. Nerlikar, who recor-ded her statement and complaint. She told the court that their (Nath and Ashu’s) reputation has been damaged because of the allegations by Nanda. The magistrate has posted the matter for further hearing on November 1, when the court will also record statements of three witnesses on behalf of Nath and his wife.

In a social media post last week, Nanda had alleged that the actor had raped her 19 years ago. Although she did not name Nath in her post, she referred to him as the actor who is known as the “most Sanskari person” in the field of acting.

Nath is known for playing characters endorsing ‘moral values’ in films such as “Maine Pyaar Kiya”, “Hum Aapke Hain Koun!”, “Hum Saath Saath Hain” and “Vivah”. His lawyer Ashok Sarogi had last on Thursday refuted the allegations as “baseless”.