Trouble for Rohit Shetty? Director under CBI scanner for offering bribe to Censor board official

Mumbai, Aug 14: Trouble seems to be coming for Rohit Shetty as a case against producers of Bollywood's hit film, Singham Returns, may be filed soon as CBI's Mumbai unit has recommended it.

The CBI has said that the case should be filed on charges of bribing former chief of the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC), Rakesh Kumar.

According to a Indian Express report, "according to sources, a screening of Singham Returns was held on August 7, 2014, when Kumar reportedly "forced" two of his board members to sign blank forms. The three were part of the screening committee for issuing the CC. Shetty and an authorised agent for the production house, Kishan Palli, were also present at the screening."

"These forms are required to be filled by the members, suggesting their opinions on various aspects on the point of censorship, and submitted in a sealed envelope. Instead, Kumar coaxed the two members to sign blank forms," a CBI officer was quoted as saying in the rep[ort.

In his statement to the CBI, Palli said Shetty paid over Rs 2 lakh to get the CC.

"Kumar repeatedly told Shetty that since the movie was hurting certain religious sentiments, he was under tremendous pressure from the ministry. He suggested certain cuts in a song which was shot in the backdrop of a famous dargah in Mumbai. He also suggested changes to a few dialogues, but Shetty insisted that all the cuts should not be enforced. Kumar was paid over Rs 2 lakh to get the CC," said Palli, one of the agents, in his statement as per the report.

As per the report, Kumar issued the certicate as soon as he recieved the bribe amount.

Suspended chief executive officer of the Censor Board Rakesh Kumar was been granted bail by the Bombay High Court, less then two months after he was arrested on the charge of taking bribes to clear films.

OneIndia News