At noon, residents of the 20-storey building at Goregaon where Raghubir Yadav of the Mungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne fame lives, heard and saw a woman claiming to be his former wife, and the media and the Mumbai police waiting for Yadav to make an appearance. He was away shooting for a film.

Poornima Kharga, who works as a teacher at a play school in New Delhi and is also a part-time theatre artiste, had come armed with a 10-year-old photo album of her marriage with Yadav and copies of court papers.

Speaking to the media, she said: “There is a Delhi High Court order stating Yadav has to pay me Rs 10,000 every month as alimony. He has not paid a penny till date. Based on my compliant, there are summons calling him to attend court, something he has never done.” She said the police have made several trips to Yadav’s home, but were always sent away saying he was away on tour. “I finally took the summons myself as I was not getting any money and I was unable to sustain myself. I am here to ask him how he can continue another life when I have not been given my settlement,” Kharga said.

Achreja said Kharga abused her and didn’t leave the flat until 3 pm, when the police arrived. “I called the police after which a lady constable was sent here. A non-cognisable (NC) complaint was registered against her at the Goregaon police station,” Achreja said. “I have never believed in the institution of marriage. I stay with Yadav and am involved in his work. I am happy the way I am leading my life. I am like a mother to her (Kharga’s) child. He comes over and we lead a happy life. I do not understand why she should resort to complaints. Yadav has been undertaking the entire monetary expense of their child, which she cannot refute.”

Kharga and Yadav’s son was also in the flat when the drama unfolded.