No shooting today to protest arrest of film federation chie

All film and television shootings were suspended last evening, as the industry went on strike to protest against cops who arrested the president and other office bearers of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE), the body that oversees 22 crafts in the film fraternity. The federation claims that the officials were detained by the BKC police for a bogus assault case. They were released on bail the same evening.

The incident
FWICE president Kamlesh Pandey, along with other members general secretary Dilip Pithva, Zahid Khan, Feroz Khan Raja and Sudhakar Sharma had gone to the trade union yesterday, around 4.30 pm, to discuss a dispute about the federation.

To provide context the general secretary of Film Studio Setting and Allied Mazdoor Union (a private body), Gangeshwar Shrivastav had previously alleged that FWICE was established illegally and had asked the registrar of the government-run trade union, L S Doke to cancel its registration.

"The FWICE members had gone to the trade union office to present their case, but there was scuffle between two groups which resulted in the detention of the members," said a source. According to FWICE president Kamlesh Pandey, however, it was the trade union members who were involved in the scrap, and the federation officials had nothing to do with it.

"We are not going to sit quiet. It was an unconstitutional act by a government official and we will complain against Doke for filing a false case against us. We were sitting in the registrar's office when the incident took place. A case was filed against us but no action was taken against those who were waiting outside the office.

We have been told that Doke was under some pressure to file a case against us. We will take up the issue with higher authorities," said Pandey. Senior police inspector Kundalik Nigde from the BKC police station said, "They were arrested in the assault case and released on bail. We are investigating the matter."