Filmmaker Vinayan (File) | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Filmmaker Vinayan has urged Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to expel B. Unnikrishnan, general secretary of the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA), from the government’s film policy formulation committee, alleging that he has been penalised by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for anti-competitive practices.

In a letter to Mr. Vijayan on Wednesday (28 August 2024), Mr. Vinayan said a person found guilty of anti-competitive practices should not be included in such a committee as the Supreme Court had in September 2020 dismissed the petition of the trade bodies and individuals held responsible for violating the provisions of the Competition Act.

The CCI issued an order on March 24, 2017, based on Mr. Vinayan’s complaint, imposing a total penalty of Rs 11.25 lakh on FEFKA, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA) and their representatives. Mr. Vinayan had stated that they had denied him the right to work by asking artistes, technicians and producers not to work with him.

The letter recalled that Mr. Unnikrishnan, as general secretary of FEFKA, was slapped with a penalty of Rs 32,026 while Sibi Malayil, its president, had to pay a fine of Rs 66,356. The CCI had imposed a penalty of Rs 400,000 on AMMA and Rs 85,594 on FEFKA in the case filed by Mr. Vinayan.