FWICE issues statement over Sajid Khan's participation in Bigg Boss 16- "He has all the right to survive and earn his living"

Sajid Khan

Filmmaker Sajid Khan's participation in the new season of Bigg Boss 16 started on October 1 has led to a lot of anger among people. Sajid was mired in the #MeToo controversy in 2018 after nine women from the industry - who worked with Khan on his various projects - had accused the filmmaker of sexually harassing them. After many of the female artists who had accused him of misconduct voiced their displeasure over his comeback, the Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) wrote a letter to Union Minister Anurag Thakur demanding the removal of the filmmaker from the reality show. In response to DCW's letter, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) issued a statement asserting that the ban on him was lifted in 2019.

Also Read: DCW chief gets rape threats after demanding removal of Sajid Khan from Bigg Boss 16

FWICE issued an official statement on its social media handle, addressing Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur. "After carefully going through the entire proceedings of the POSH committee of IFTDA and considering the opinions of the legal team FWICE, the FWICE also endorsed the action against Director Sajid Khan and seconded the decision of IFTDA of BAN on Shri Sajid Khan for one year," the letter read.

The statement went on to read, "Shri Sajid Khan had cooperated with the IFTDA and FWICE and obeyed the decision of the POSH Committee. FWICE was satisfied with his behaviour during the period of his Ban and after completion of the one year of this punishment the BAN on Shri Sajid Khan was lifted by the FWICE on 14.03 2019 Shri Sajid Khan has now entered into the BIGG BOSS to earn his living. Copies of all these correspondences are enclosed herewith for your reference."

"He has also gone through the tough trials of the POSH committee and a lot of humiliation during those trying days on social media and other public platforms. A person who has already suffered his punishment and obeyed the decision of the IFTDA and the FWICE cannot be again tried and punished for the same offence. He has all the right to survive and earn his living and hence he has joined the BIGG BOSS show. It is therefore requested to you to kindly please allow Shri Sajid Khan to work for the show BIGG BOSS and do not initiate any action against him as per the appeal submitted by the Delhi Commission of Women," the letter further read.

Also Read: DCW seeks ouster of filmmaker Sajid Khan from Bigg Boss 16; writes to Union Minister Anurag Thakur