Police notice to director for ‘maligning Bengal image’

Kolkata: West Bengal Police has issued a notice to the writer-director of a Hindi film titled ‘The Diary of West Bengal’, alleging that he is trying to defame the state. Sanoj Mishra has been asked to appear for questioning on May 30.
Presented by Wasim Rizvi Films, ‘The Diary of West Bengal’ is produced by Jitendra Narayan Singh. The film’s trailer was released on YouTube recently, following which there was a police complaint on May 11, alleging that the movie seemed to have been made as a deliberate attempt to malign Bengal’s image.
“Following preliminary investigation, the top brass of the city felt that there was sufficient ground to question the director in the matter and, hence, a notice has been served on him asking him to report at Amherst Street police station at 12 noon on May 30,” a city police official said. The notice has been issued under Section 41A of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Speaking to the media, Mishra said: “I have faith in the law. I am not a criminal. I am a director. My intention is not to malign the image of the state. I have evidence to substantiate what I am showing. Till date, 60% of the shooting is over. I have not shot the film in Bengal.” His previous directorial ventures include ‘Ram Ki Janmabhoomi’, ‘Shashank’ and ‘Gandhigiri’.