Five producers of Malayalam films are under the scanner of central agencies like the Income-Tax department and the Enforcement Directorate. If reports are to be believed, one Malayalam film producer has been fined Rs. 25 crore.
The action was taken after the central agencies received documents which indicated that a Malayalam film producer-actor received large amounts of money from Overseas sources.
The ED will also interrogate the remaining four producers. The agencies will probe whether money has come into Kerala from abroad to back propaganda films which have a negative impact on national security.
The I-T department has been reportedly questioning the Malayalam film producer for the past two days, to confirm the allegations of benami investment of black money to finance films. The ED has issued notices to the remaining producers to appear for interrogation.
The central agencies have reportedly received statements that more intoxicants reach the shooting locations during the shooting of such foreign-funded films. Consequently, the central agencies are examining both, financial transactions and the theme of films, as directed by the home department.