Kolkata: Police Target Leaders in Film Industry Crackdown
In a major operation against corruption in the Bengali film and television sector, the New Alipore police have summoned four important figures from the Cine Technicians Federation. This action follows the recent arrest of Swarup Biswas, who was the president of the now-closed Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India. He was taken into custody from his home in Sahapur Colony last Thursday.
During the interrogation of Biswas, police identified these four individuals as crucial to the ongoing investigation. Authorities aim to gather statements that will help them understand the group’s methods and explore the involvement of others who apparently helped extort nearly Rs 22 lakh from vulnerable workers in the industry. Police have invited anyone with information or complaints about Biswas to reach out.
The investigation began after a complaint was lodged by a 42-year-old make-up artist from Regent Park. She claimed that after two years without work, she met Biswas at a local club in August 2025, where he allegedly demanded money in exchange for job opportunities. When she approached him again in April 2026, Biswas and his associates reportedly insisted that she engage in sexual favors. After she refused, she claimed that armed attackers targeted her at her home on April 10 in a grave threat to her life.
This arrest comes just a day after the federation was disbanded and all 26 guilds connected to it were dissolved. The crackdown has prompted numerous industry insiders to speak out about how the guild systematically blacklisted and isolated anyone who opposed Biswas’s leadership, denying them work opportunities.
