Mumbai Police have registered a case against the organizers of the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF) for allegedly misrepresenting government support and deceiving multiple state governments and sponsors.
According to police sources, the event organizers, including DPIFF founder and Managing Director Anil Mishra, falsely claimed endorsements from the central government and senior political leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. They also allegedly sought sponsorships from government entities like Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India, and Life Insurance Corporation, as well as private companies like Haldirams, Acer, Cinepolis, and PVR Inox.
The allegations extend to selling awards under the name of Dadasaheb Phalke, often to actors whose films were not commercially successful. Additionally, the organizers reportedly charged ₹2.5 lakh for event passes, promising attendees access to Bollywood celebrities. The festival, scheduled to take place at Taj Lands End in Mumbai on February 19 and 20, was portrayed as being part of the “Incredible India” campaign and the prestigious “Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award,” which is officially presented by the President of India.
A complaint was filed by Sameer Dixit, Maharashtra president of the BJP’s Chitrapat Kamgar Aghadi, who claimed that the organizers misled people by falsely associating the festival with government support. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered against Anil Mishra, his wife Parvati Mishra, and their son Abhishek Mishra under sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deal with fraud and cheating.
Investigations are ongoing, and as of now, the DPIFF organizers have not issued any official response.
Source: NDTV
