Thiruvananthapuram: Amid heated debates on the Hema Committee report and sexual assault allegations in the Malayalam film industry, director Vinayan wrote a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking the removal of director B Unnikrishnan from the film policy committee headed by Shaji N Karun. Vinayan pointed out that Unnikrishnan faced action from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) over his complaint.
In 2017, CCI found Unnikrishnan and four others guilty of conducting unfair trade practices by banning director Vinayan, some actors, technicians and producers from working on movies. The commission also slapped a fine of Rs 11.25 lakh on the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) and the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) and its then office bearers- AMMA president Innocent and general secretary Edavela Babu and FEFKA officials Sibi Malayail, Unnikrishnan and K Mohanan.
In his letter to the CM, Vinayan noted that Unnikrishnan paid the fine after the Supreme Court rejected his appeal against the CCI order. He added that all those who paid the fine should be considered convicts in the case and kept out of the policy pane.
Vinayan's complaint made headlines when the government was mulling the removal of Kollam MLA Mukesh from the committee in the background of sexual assault allegations against him.
