Dirs’ body sends defamation notice to tech federation head
Times of India | 16 September 2024
Kolkata: The Directors’ Association of Eastern India (DAEI) has served a defamation notice to the president of the Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEI) Swarup Biswas for making “false, malicious and defamatory” statements against it in the media. Biswas has been asked to refrain from making such statements and “address the press and issue an unconditional apology” and “retract” the “virulent and malafide statements within 72 hours of receiving this notice”.
Names of 63 directors have been mentioned in the notice served to Biswas.That includes Haranath Chakraborty, Anjan Dutt, Asoke Viswanathan, Aparna Sen, Kaushik Ganguly, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Indranil Roy Chowdhury, Abhijit Guha, Sudeshna Roy, Saibal Mitra, Anirudddha Roy Chowdhury, Subrata Sen, Suman Mukhopadhyay, Anirban Bhattacharya, Soukarya Ghoshal, Ranjan Ghosh, Pratim Dasgupta, Arjun Dutta and Kamaleswar Mukherjee.
Director Haranath Chakraborty told TOI: “I have been working in the industry for 40 years and have given a platform to so many heroes and heroines. We have never needed a cell to address sexual harassment charges. DAEI never had an idea that a cell called ‘Surokkha Bandhu’ was formed by FCTWEI. Despite that, I am happy that such an initiative has been taken. But what has irked me is Swarup’s statement that 60% allegations of sexual harassment are against directors and directors-turned-producers. Though he has not taken names, I wonder if such a statement leaves a hint that I too could be one of the accused. That is hurting me.”
Biswas reacting to the notice said: “My lawyer will send a reply.”