Mumbai: An FIR has been filed against Anil Mishra, the Founder and Managing Director of the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF), and his son Abhishek Mishra for allegedly embezzling awards in a scam involving the prestigious film festival. The FIR, lodged at Mumbai’s Bandra police station, accuses the Mishra family of fraudulently selling awards to various film actors and producers.
The complaint, filed by Sameer Dixit, the State President of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Chitrapat Aghadi unit, also implicates Mishra’s wife Parvati Mishra and daughter Shweta Mishra in the scam. The FIR was filed on February 5 under Sections 318 (4) and 319 (2) of the Indian Penal Code.
Mishra, originally from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, later founded DPIFF, where he allegedly sold awards to films, including those that were commercially unsuccessful. This fraudulent activity is said to have generated significant revenue, with Mishra earning crores from government and semi-government institutions by securing sponsorships under false pretenses.
In addition to the award scam, Mishra’s planned award ceremony, scheduled for February 20 at the Taj Lands End hotel in Bandra, is under investigation. Reports suggest that Mishra secured permission for the event by misleading the Bandra police, using the name of International Tourism Festival Private Limited, a company that has since been shut down. As a result, the event’s approval is now in jeopardy.
DPIFF, Mishra’s award body, is not officially registered despite multiple attempts to gain government approval, all of which were rejected. Mishra’s membership with the Central Board of Film Certification has also expired, further casting doubt on the legitimacy of his operations.
