Dr Luke counter-sues Kesha over sexual and physical assault charges

Producer Dr Luke has filed a lawsuit against Kesha for accusing him of sexual and physical assault over a period of years.

The 41-year-old songwriter claimed that Kesha tried to extort him by threatening to spread lies about him to a blogger who started a "Free Kesha" website, unless he released her from her recording contract, TMZ.com reported.

In the lawsuit, Luke said that Kesha was threatening to file her new abuse lawsuit, which he had a copy of its draft for months, if he didn't release her.

Lukes lawyer Christine Lepera said that Kesha's scurrilous lawsuit about abuse is part of "a campaign of publishing outrageous and untrue statements" and Kesha and her mom have already admitted that the statements are false.

Kesha's attorney Mark Geragos called it "another pathetic" and "entirely predictable" example of Luke's continued abuse and a misguided attempt to keep Kesha under his tyrannical control.