FIR filed against Bhansali

Mumbai, Jun 10 (UNI) A first information report (FIR) was today filed against Bollywood director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and five others by antiques dealer Farida Hoosenally with the Aarey police station here.

Police Inspector P Lagade attached to Aarey police station, said that Ms Hoosenally, in her complaint, stated that she had rented out antique furniture worth Rs 1.5 crore to Mr Bhansali for his film 'Black' in 2004 without any gurantees or insurance.

During the shooting, there was a fire on the sets, in which the furniture was destroyed. When Mr Bhansali refused to compensate the loss, she moved the Borivali Metropolitan Court, asking for damages.

However, the court rejected her petition for filing it under wrong section.

In the complaint, she alleged that the fire broke out on the sets due to use of LPG cylinders.

Ms Hoosenally then approached the National Amnesty, an NGO dealing with human rights, which took up her case and filed a petition in the Bombay High Court in 2004. But the HC directed Farida and her supporters to approach the lower court and asked them to appeal again. Again, she moved the Borivali Metropolitan Court.

The court yesterday ordered the Aarey police station to conduct an inquiry into the fire incident and submit a detailed report within two months.

PI Lagade said based on that, they have filed a case against Applause-Bhansali Films, the producers of 'Black', under Indian Penal Code section 156 (3) and Essential Commodities Act sections (3, 7 and 10 C).

After the investigation, if they found Bhansali and five others -- Gautami Bhatt (Director), Anshuman Swami (CEO), Sushil Agarwal and Gopikrishna Tulsiyan (both Directors) -- guilty, then they may be arrested, he added.

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