IFTDA sends show cause notice to Vikas Bahl
Mumbai, Oct 9: Indian Film & Television Directors' Association (IFTDA) has sent a show cause notice to filmmaker Vikas Bahl after allegations of sexual harassment resurfaced against the director.
Last year, a woman employee at Phantom Films, which had Bahl as one of the partners along side Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena, had alleged that Bahl behaved inappropriately with her during a trip to Goa.
"IFTDA has taken a stern stand against Vikas Bahl by issuing a show cause notice and asked him to respond within one week's time, failing which his membership will be terminated," the statement read.
The association said it has immediately set up a women grievances redressal cell.
The three member all women committee will be headed by celebrated TV and film director Swapna Waghmare Joshi as chairperson with Bhavna Talwar as convenor and Priyanka Ghatak as co-convenor, supported by the entire executive committee of IFTDA.
"This is being done to crate a safe place for its women professionals and will only be strengthened when directors and production houses pledge to work for the government sanctioned POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace) guidelines.
"This will only lead to the creation of confidence among not only the experienced seniors but the posterity of female professionals who are planning to enter the industry in the future," the statement read.
The Producers Guild of India, also extended its support "to the movement to call out and report sexual harassment and abuse whenever and wherever it occurs in our industry."
"We believe that there is an urgent need to set up a robust process to ensure the highest standards of safety for employees and crew members at the workplace - whether in offices or on sets of productions.
"We are instituting a committee within the Guild to lead this effort, and we are determined to stay the course till workplaces in the industry are safe spaces for everyone," the statement read.
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Jharkhand: 6 arrested for kidnapping Bengal businessman, associate
Khunti (PTI): Six persons have been arrested for allegedly abducting a West Bengal-based businessman and his associate in Jharkhand's Khunti district and demanding a ransom of Rs 10 lakh, police said on Sunday.
The incident occurred on Friday in Tilmi area under the jurisdiction of Jariyagarh police station. Upon receiving information, police rescued both victims, they said.
Torpa Sub-divisional Police Officer Christopher Kerketta said, "We have rescued both the victims and arrested six people for their alleged involvement in the crime."
The businessman, identified as Haru Mukherjee (65), had come to the house of his associate, Vijay Oraon (40), to recruit labourers for work at a brick kiln.
The accused hail from different parts of Khunti, and police also seized a four-wheeler, three motorcycles, and five mobile phones from their possession, the officer said, adding an FIR has also been registered and further investigation is underway.
