New Delhi:
The Enforcement Directorate has searched the Tamil Nadu and Kerala offices of Gokul Chit Fund, a financial services firm that is also one of the producers of the new Malayalam movie ‘L2: Empuraan‘.
The searches – which sources told news agency PTI are linked to alleged foreign exchange violations – began early Friday at several places, including Gokul Chit Funds’ office in Chennai’s Kodambakkam.
The searches come amid controversy over the movie which released last month and refers, indirectly, to the 2002 Gujarat riots and examines misuse of central investigative agencies.
Last week – after violent protests by right-wing groups at theatres premiering the movie – the production team said it would accept 17 fresh cuts, including removing scenes depicting violence against women and riots, the renaming of the antagonist – Baba Bajrangi – and muting of certain dialogues.
Gokulam Gopalan, Founder and Chairman of Gokul Chit Funds and a film producer, said ‘Empuraan’ had cleared the censor and that the cuts were being made to not hurt the sentiments of some people.
The revised version has now been released in theatres.
The protests against the film – which stars Mohanlal and was directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran – included accusations by The Organiser, the mouthpiece of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP’s ideological mentor, of promoting an ‘anti-Hindu agenda’.
Kerala BJP chief and former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has publicly said he would not watch the film, accusing it of distorting facts.
But Kerala’s ruling Left front and the main opposition, the Congress, have united to celebrate a movie they have claimed “exposes the Sangh agenda”. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan voiced his support and accused the ‘Sangh parivar’ of fostering an “atmosphere of fear” over the film.