Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta’s promotional gimmick for his upcoming movie has invited the ire of the Mumbai police, which has booked Mr Gupta for cheating, forgery and impersonation. The police has confirmed that he has been booked under non-bailable sections and will be arrested.
According to police sources, the complaint against Gupta was registered at the Versova police station on Wednesday night in light of an invitation that he sent out to the media to announce his movie Shootout At Wadala. The invitation, printed to make it look like a notice issued by the police commissioner’s office, was signed “commissioner’s office” and bore a “Bombay Police” seal.
Sources said that the invitation was brought to the notice of police commissioner Arup Patnaik, who instructed Pratap Dighavkar, deputy commissioner of police, Zone IX to initiate action into the matter.
“Gupta has been booked under Sections 417, 419, 465, 468, 469, 471 and 473 of the Indian Penal Code as well as section 66 (D) of the Information Technology Act. All sections are non-bailable. We have issued a summons to Gupta, and will arrest him after necessary inquiries are complete,” said Mr Dighavkar.
The police is basing its case on the signature and the seal on the invitation which, the police says, provides ample grounds for the case.
“Anyone signing his name over the heading of ‘Commissioner’s Office’ without actually working there is liable to be charged for impersonation. Further, the Bombay Police seal that has been used could also be used to authenticate a document, like a passport, for example,” Mr Dighavkar added.
Gupta is currently shooting for the film in Goa.