Filmmaker Manish Gupta booked for ‘stabbing driver with kitchen knife’

Filmmaker Manish Gupta was booked for allegedly injuring his driver with a kitchen knife, a Mumbai police official said on Friday. Gupta allegedly attacked his driver after an argument over the latter's salary.

The incident took place on Thursday night in Gupta's residence in Sagar Sanjog building, the Versova police station official was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.

“Gupta allegedly injured his driver Rajibul Islam Lashkar (32),” the official said.

Gupta was booked under sections 118(2), 115(2) and 352 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon, intentional insult to provoke breach of peace and other offences.

He is yet to be arrested, police said.

Lashkar's advocate Ali Kaashif Khan Deshmukh sought immediate arrest of Gupta.

According to Free Press Journal, the FIR stated that Lashkar had worked with the filmmaker for three years, for a salary of ₹23,000.

However, Lashkar alleged that he was never paid on time.

On May 30, Gupta allegedly sacked him without clearing his dues. To earn back his money, Lashkar rejoined duty, but was still not paid, the driver reportedly claimed.

This led to a verbal argument between the two on Friday night at the filmmaker's Versova residence.

Lashkar alleged that Gupta stabbed him with a kitchen knife during the argument. He then rushed to the nearby Cooper Hospital.

After receiving medical treatment, he filed an FIR against filmmaker Gupta at the Versova Police Station.

Who is Manish Gupta?

A screenwriter and director, Manish Gupta has directed films like The Stoneman Murders and 420 IPC.

His last directorial venture was the 2023 legal drama, One Friday Night, which starred Raveena Tandon and Milind Soman.

He had earlier served as a writer in Ramgopal Varma's team, writing the screenplay of films like D and Sarkar.