The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated an FIR against three individuals and unnamed officials from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) based on allegations made by actor Vishal. According to reports on Thursday, Vishal claimed that he was compelled to pay Rs 6.5 lakh to secure a certification for his film “Mark Antony.”
In response to these allegations, the CBI carried out searches at four locations in Mumbai, including the premises of the individuals named in the FIR. The FIR filed by the CBI identifies private individuals Merlin Menaga, Jeeja Ramdas, and Rajan M, along with unidentified public servants from the CBFC.
The CBI’s spokesperson clarified the nature of the allegations, stating that during September 2023, a private individual conspired with others to obtain a bribe of Rs 7 lakh in exchange for securing the necessary censor certificate from CBFC, Mumbai, for a Hindi-dubbed movie. It was further alleged that the accused initially demanded this bribe on behalf of CBFC-Mumbai officials, and after negotiations, the amount was reduced to Rs 6.54 lakh. The spokesperson explained that this sum was accepted as a bribe on behalf of CBFC-Mumbai officials and was deposited in two bank accounts belonging to the two other accused individuals. Subsequently, on September 26, 2023, the necessary certificate was purportedly issued by CBFC, Mumbai for the said Hindi-dubbed movie. Additionally, the accused was alleged to have received Rs 20,000 in her bank account from a private company as a coordinating fee for herself, as per the CBI’s statement.
Post Your Comments