Assamese filmmaker booked for seeking help from ULFA-I

A suo-motu case has been registered against Assamese filmmaker Himangshu Prasad Das on charges of waging war against the country by allegedly seeking help from ULFA(I), through an open letter, to run his film in theatres across the state.
"We had registered a suo-motu case a few days back against Das for trying to contact sources or persons inimical to the interest of India," Guwahati Police Commissioner Hiren Chandra Nath told PTI here.
The police had issued a notice asking Das to appear before it, but he has not come yet, Nath said.
Asked if Das will be arrested, he said, "We will at first interrogate him and then decide."

Guwahati Police registered the case under various IPC sections including 121 (waging or attempting to wage war or abetting waging of war against the Government), 121(A) (conspiracy to overawe by means of criminal force or), 153(A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, etc) at Panbazar police station and issued a notice to Das for appearing before them.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber Unit) Suleman Ali registered the case on January 28.

On January 24, Das, a graduate of National School of Drama, had allegedly written an open letter in his Facebook page to ULFA(I) chief Paresh Barua seeking help for continuation of his first film "Shakira Aahibo Bokultolor Bihuloi" (Shakira will come to Bokultol's Bihu) in theatres across the state.

The director had written the letter following hall owners' decision to withdraw his film, which was released on January 20, to accommodate Shah Rukh Khan starrer "Raees" and "Kaabil" starring Hrithik Roshan that hit the screens on January 25, police said.
Responding to the letter, Barua allegedly called up local TV channels and asked the hall owners to run Das's film if people wanted to watch it, or else ULFA(I) would oppose it.
Assam Police Director General Mukesh Sahay had earlier said that police would look into the issue.