The Coca-Cola India actually had to 'taste the thunder' when Sushmita Sen sued its marketing head Sripad Nadkarni for alleged sexual harassment.

According to the latest news, Coke has shelled out Rs 1.45 crore to buy her silence over the matter. Sushmita was roped in as the first female artiste to promote company's leading brand Thums up.

Former Supreme Court Chief Justice SP Bharucha is investigating into the matter.

When contacted, the Coke officials dismissed harassment allegations and stated, "This is a dispute between a corporate and its brand ambassador with respect to the celebrity engagement contract. The matter was discussed between the lawyers of both the sides. The same has been settled through a contract, mutually between the company and Sushmita Sen for an agreed consideration. Both parties are bound by the confidentiality clause of the said agreement."

However the leading newspaper, which run the whole investigation, insists that the exchange of letters between Sen's solicitors and Coke's lawyers give ample proof that the dispute between the two sides was, indeed, over the sexual harassment charge.

Sen's lawyers also claimed that she had asked a sum of Rs 1.45 crore to be paid by way of charity to an orphanage of her choice.