IFFI director's son accused of manhandling delegate

A International Film Festival of India (IFFI) delegate Friday accused festival director Shankar Mohan's son of manhandling him.

Chintamani D., a delegate from Goa, said in his complaint that Mohan's son, Arun Shankar, had assaulted him after he requested him not to speak on a cellphone during a film screening.

Both the complainant and the accused were escorted out of the screening hall by security guards.

Speaking to reporters, Shankar Mohan avoided a direct response to the complaint.

"My son was at the festival in his capacity as a delegate. There are institutional mechanisms to take care of such incidents," said Mohan, a senior information and broadcasting ministry official, who has been director of the IFFI for the fourth year running.