Mumbai: Congress and NCP on Monday expressed shock and surprise over the failure of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to disclose cause of death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who died a year back. Mumbai Police contended that Sushant died by suicide, while NDA government said it was not and entrusted the probe to CBI.

“Sushant died a year ago, 310 days have passed since CBI took over the probe, while 250 days have passed since an AIIMS panel ruled out murder. When will CBI declare final conclusion? Why has CBI kept a lid on it? CBI appears to be under immense pressure from political bosses,’’ Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said.

Sawant came down heavily on National Investigation Agency (NIA) for its failure to nab the mastermind who planted explosives outside the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani. “We were expecting police personnel involved in the planting of explosives were working under then Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, he will be interrogated by NIA. Narendra Modi-led government is misusing central agencies, including CBI, NIA and Enforcement Directorate to defame the Ma-ha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government,’’ Sawant said.

Endorsing Sawant’s views, NCP spokesperson and skill development minister Nawab Malik said on the eve of Bihar assembly elections, NDA government utilized CBI to defame the MVA. “It was a biggest conspiracy against MVA. If Sushant did not die by suicide, who killed him? CBI must come out clean on the episode,’’ Malik said.

Launching an attack against BJP, Malik said when Mumbai Police were moving in the right direction, for obvious political reasons, the probe was entrusted to CBI, which has failed to come to a conclusion. “CBI took over the probe, even Bihar police registered a criminal case, but there is no progress after a year, CBI has maintained a discreet silence over cause of death,’’ Malik said.

As the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Wednesday confirmed that actress Deepika Padukone has been summoned in the alleged Bollywood drug syndicate case, opposition parties alleged that the BJP was using the case to divert people's attention from the crucial issue — the farmers' protest. The drug probe agency has called Padukone for questioning on September 25, the day of the nationwide protest.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the NCB started probing the alleged drug nexus in Bollywood during the investigation in connection with Sushant Singh Rajput's death. So far it has arrested 19 people, including actress Rhea Chakraborty.

NCB Deputy Director (Operations) K P S Malhotra confirmed that summons have been issued to actresses Shraddha Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan and Rakul Preet Singh, and fashion designer Simmone Khambata, besides Padukone. Officers said Khambata and Singh will join the probe on Thursday, September 24, Padukone September 25, and Kapoor and Khan on Saturday, September 26.

The opposition parties have claimed that the BJP is using the entire case to keep the public away from the real issues ailing the country. Former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said, "It's very clear from the beginning that the BJP has been using the Rajput's death case to divert people's attention from the COVID-19 pandemic, economy, China, and now farms bills. And, central investigating agencies and some news channels are working as BJP stooges."

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant also alleged that the BJP has politicised Rajput's death case from Day 1. "Three national agencies have been used to divert the attention of people from real issues. So, we are not surprised now. We will keep raising the issues that really matters to the citizens of this country." State Cabinet minister and NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik hit out at a few media outlets as well for not highlighting the real issues. "Being the fourth pillar of democracy, media has to decide what is important. The diversionary tactics are being used, but it is unfortunate that media is not highlighting the real issues. They have to decide now whether or not farmers' protests are important."

Meanwhile, NCB officers have said that on Friday, Padukone and her manager Karishma Prakash would be questioned face to face. Both were summoned on the basis of alleged WhatsApp chats about procuring hash. KWAN talent manager Jaya Saha was one of the participants of the WhatsApp group on which the actress had asked Prakash to get the drug for her.

The agency questioned Saha, the KWAN talent manager, on Wednesday and also interrogated the top management of the firm. Officers claimed that Saha has revealed names of other celebrities who procured drugs with her help. National Award winning filmmaker Madhu Mantena was also questioned by the NCB on Wednesday based on his chats with Saha.

The officers also raided the residence of TV actress Abigail Pande and her partner Sanam Johar, who is a choreographer. They were also questioned.

"Since day one we have been saying that a big drug syndicate works within the film industry. High-profile people in the industry not only consume drugs, but even procure and give them to leading celebrities, some with international links," said an NCB officer on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, the Bombay HC adjourned the bail hearing of Rhea and her brother Showik for Thursday, owing to the downpour in the city.

Prafulla Marpakwar (THE TIMES OF INDIA; August 29, 2020)

Mumbai: Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant on Friday demanded a probe into film producer Sandeep Ssingh’s connections with the BJP. Singh has claimed he was a good friend of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput and was one of the first persons to reach his flat on hearing news of his death.

“Investigating agencies must probe the link between Sandeep Ssingh and the BJP. Singh is the producer of a biopic on PM Narendra Modi. The BJP never had faith in the Mumbai police and, suddenly, it supported the demand for a CBI probe. Why was the demand pressed in a hurry?” Sawant said. He alleged there appeared to be a plan to protect high-profile people involved in the alleged suicide.

Sawant said then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had launched the poster of Singh’s biopic. “The CM and home minister should probe the BJP’s nexus with actors, Sandeep Ssingh and the drug cartel,” Sawant said.

The Congress leader said it was surprising the BJP was demanding a high-level probe into the drug angle in the Rajput case. He wondered why the BJP had not asked then chief minister Fadnavis to probe the nexus between the film industry and the drug mafia. “It appears the CBI and ED stepped in to protect Sandeep Ssingh. It has been found that persons associated with Modi are locked in one controversy or another,” Sawant said.

Zee and &TV told to remove controversial content in its serials, which peddled the BJP govt’s pet schemes
Shruti Ganapatye (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 17, 2019)

Paying heed to complaints that two TV channels were giving publicity to the BJP government’s pet schemes through its shows, the Election Commission (EC) has asked Zee and & channels to remove the controversial content. It has also warned them against doing so in the future. Mumbai Mirror had earlier reported that the EC had issued show cause notices to the two channels after Congress alleged that BJP was using two serials, Tujhse Hai Raabta and Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai, to run its campaign, violating the code of conduct enforced for the Lok Sabha polls.

The order issued by the EC says, “The producers of the serials have been told to remove the content that would benefit a political party. Also ensure that this content will not be available on any social or electronic media. If there is any such content which is of the nature of advertisement, the producers should take prior certificate from the concerned authorities before airing it on television. The producers should strictly follow the model code of conduct and other rules of the EC.”

The characters in the two serials were seen praising the BJP government’s schemes like Ujjwala, Swachch Bharat Abhiyan and Mudra loan. In the show Bhabi Ji…, a character is shown holding forth on Swachchta (cleanliness) when another character litters on the road and praises the prime minister without naming him. In another scene, a wife educates her husband about the Ujjwala scheme on free LPG connections when her husband tells her that food cooked on chulha would taste better. In another serial, Tujhse… a character narrates how a loan of Rs 10 lakh can be availed under the Mudra scheme. Congress had taken objection to this and approached the EC. Congress had said it was just like paid news, as the viewers were not aware of the campaign while watching the serials.

The channels were given show cause notices and time to reply on the issue. “After reviewing the objectionable content and the explanation by the channels, it was found that it was a publicity for a particular party by praising the work of its leaders. This could influence voters in their constituency. Also, the content was not pre-certified. This content has violated the model code of conduct,” additional electoral officer Dilip Shinde said.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant welcomed the decision but demanded that the paid news angle should also be probed. “It is good that the action by the EC will prevent BJP from using TV serials as a medium of publicity for the election. But we want a further probe on the paid news angle. The candidates have to declare their expenditure to the EC for campaigning. So, who paid for these serials remains a big question,” Sawant said.

Zee and & TV, which is also part of the Zee group, did not respond to EC’s order. When the issue was first raised, a spokesperson had issued a statement saying that the mention of the government schemes was in public interest. 

Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai and Tujhse Hai Raabta had scenes where characters praised Swachch Bharat and Mudra Yojana; Show cause notices issued to Zee TV and its group channel &TV following complaint from Congress; channel claimed scenes in ‘public interest’ but silent on EC notice
Shruti Ganapatye (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 10, 2019)

The Election Commission has issued show cause notices to two television channels after Congress complained about the show peddling the government’s pet schemes through characters in TV serials. The EC has given Zee and &TV channels 24 hours to reply to the notices.

On Tuesday, Mumbai Mirror had reported on Congress’s complaint to the EC alleging violation of code of conduct by the BJP.

Congress had taken objection to characters in TV serials Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai and Tujhse Hai Raabta praising government schemes like Ujjwala, Swachch Bharat Abhiyan and Mudra loan, blaming the BJP for it. Congress had said it was just a version of paid news. The Congress welcomed the EC’s decision to slap show-cause notices to the channels and added that it was going to complain about another serial Tula Pahate Re on the Zee Marathi channel, for promoting the Make in India scheme.

In the show Bhabi Ji…, a character is shown holding forth on Swachchta (cleanliness) when another character litters on the road and praises the prime minister without naming him. In another scene, a wife educates her husband about the Ujjwala scheme on free LPG connections when her husband tells her that food cooked on chulha would taste better. In another serial, Tujhse… a character narrates how a loan of Rs 10 lakh can be availed under the Mudra scheme.

Additional Electoral Officer of Maharashtra, Dilip Shinde said, “We received a complaint that Zee TV and & TV were using their serials to campaign the Centre’s schemes and hence violating the model code of conduct. We have issued show cause notices to producers of the serials. They will have to reply in 24 hours. Further action will be taken after receiving their reply.”

Welcoming the EC’s move, Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, “It was a serious matter and the action by the EC was expected. The channels have brazenly violated the code of conduct. I had demanded that the channels should be suspended for the violation. The EC should also hold BJP responsible for running their campaign on the channels. It also shows how BJP is muzzling democracy and setting the wrong precedent. This trend is dangerous for the country. The party is using deceptive and illegal means to garner votes,” Sawant said.

A spokesperson of Zee group, of which &TV is a part, defended the content saying it was in “public interest”. “As a responsible national television network, ZEE has always created content basis its stringent content guidelines. The mention of certain government schemes and initiatives in some of the episodes of the television shows was a creative call taken purely in the interest of the public.” However, there was no reply by the channel after the show cause notice was issued late in the evening.

No Pak Artistes, Promise Producers; Pay Rs 5Cr To Army In Penance, Says Raj; Oppn Slams CM's 'Surrender' To Raj, Smells BJP-MNS Conspiracy
THE TIMES OF INDIA (October 23, 2016)

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena backed down and called off its protest against Karan Johar's Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, which stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, on Saturday following a truce brokered by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

To pave the way for a “safe and smooth“ release across all states on October 28, film producers reiterated at the tripartite meeting that they would not engage with Pakistani artistes under the prevailing circumstances. During the negotiations, the CM urged film-makers to “respect“ popular sentiment following the Pathankot and Uri killings of Indian soldiers. Fadnavis suggested that a slide, offering tributes to Indian soldiers killed in the attacks, be shown on screen at the start of ADHM. Johar and Mukesh Bhatt, who heads the film producers' guild, agreed.

MNS leader Raj Thackeray later called a press meet at his house to claim that producers who have cast Pakistani artistes had agreed to the MNS demand to donate Rs 5 crore each to an Army fund as “an act of penance“ and “this is our victory“. Both the CM and the producers denied that any such demand was made or that a particular sum was mentioned.

The conciliatory talks and the resolution to the dispute came just days after the MNS threatened to escalate its campaign against the film. Thackeray and Fadnavis sought to project the meeting as a success while the opposition trashed it as a “sellout“ to the MNS. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis's decision to invite MNS leader Raj Thackeray for talks with film producers won him brownie points from the film trade, but the Opposition said the negotiations had set a wrong precedent and would encourage extra-constitutional players to dictate terms in future.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said it was the regime's responsibility to provide security for the release; instead, the CM had succumbed to pressure from MNS. “Fadnavis surrendered before political goondaism, it has damaged the image of the state,'' he said.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said the CM had given undue importance to a man known for his inconsistency, but it was with a view to prop him up against the Shiv Sena. “He is giving undue importance to Raj. In Lok Sabha elections too, it was the policy of the MNS to defeat Shiv Sena and accordingly, MNS worked. In fact, Fadnavis is directly controlling Raj. We have reasons to believe that BJP and MNS are hand in glove,'' Malik said.

The MNS stir began a month back with the party issuing a 48-hour ultimatum for Pakistani film artistes to leave Mumbai. It held a protest outside Johar's residence, which critics dismissed as a stunt organized with an eye on upcoming civic elections.

The party kept up the pressure until single-screen cinema hall owners buckled under and agreed not to release Johar's film. Johar and other producers sought to appease the protestors saying “the country comes first“ and that they would not engage with Pakistani artistes “under the circumstances“, but MNS leaders dug in their heels.

Police stepped up security for movie halls and arrested some protestors after Bollywood delegations met top officers. Union home minister Rajnath Singh also promised producers that he would ask Fadnavis “to look into the matter“.

The resolution to the month-long fracas comes as a relief for the industry amidst the festival season when box-office collections peak. “Any film featuring a Pakistani artiste that is complete or under production will sail through. But going forward, directors and producers will not sign a Pakistani artiste for a fresh film beginning now,“ said Mukesh Bhatt, president of the Producers Guild of India who was present at the meeting at the CM's residence along with Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, CEO of Dharma Productions, Vijay Singh of Fox Star Studios, director-producer Sajid Nadiadwala and Siddharth Roy Kapur, the next Guild president.

The Guild will soon call a meeting to pass a resolution on not working with Pakistani artists in future, a written copy of which will be sent to the information & broadcasting ministry and the CM.

During his press meet, Thackeray stressed that the Guild had accepted MNS's demand that producers who have cast Pakistani artistes should donate Rs 5 crore each to an Army welfare fund. Dismissing his claims, Bhatt said: “No transaction was made and no figures were discussed or agreed upon by us. Karan and some other producers have of their own accord decided to contribute something to the martyr families. The CM made it very clear that there was no compulsion.“ “...how to donate the sum d to who, will be worked out and to who, will be worked out between the CM and the producers' guild,“ Bhatt said: “Why should we publicise our donation? It's in bad taste.“

Single-screen halls not ready to lift ban

The Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association of India (COEAI) said on Saturday that they stand by their decision of not allowing films featuring Pakistani actors to release in single-screen theatres. Nitin Datar, president, COEAI, said, “MNS is not the only party that can cause damage. We don't know how other local parties or NGOs might react. Why couldn't they postpone the film release by a few more weeks until things cooled down?“

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Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; October 23, 2016)