FWICE writers to Anurag Thakur: 'Sajid Khan has served his punishment & has all the right to earn his living'

Sajid Khan's participation in Bigg Boss 16 has not gone down well with viewers and several actors. Many have signed petitions to remove the actor from Bigg Boss. The channel, producers and even host Salman Khan are receiving flak for providing the platform of Bigg Boss 16 to a man, who has been accused of sexual misconduct.

Earlier this week, the chief of the Delhi Commission of Women Swati Maliwal wrote to the minister of information and broadcasting, Anurag Thakur in which she urged that Sajid should not be part of the Bigg Boss 16, citing several allegations of sexual misconduct against him.

FWICE has now come out in Sajid's support and has written a letter to the minister of information and broadcasting, Anurag Thakur stating that Sajid was banned for a year and has already served the punishment.

FWICE comes out in support of Sajid Khan

FWICE said in the letter that the Indian Film and Television Director's Association (IFTDA) had received complaints against Sajid back then and had suggested a one-year ban on Sajid. FWICE also agreed and imposed the ban after investigations by the POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) committee at IFTDA.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, "During this action initiated by the IFTDA and the FWICE, Sajid Khan was issued the non-cooperation from FWICE and was banned from working in the Film Industry for one year. Sajid Khan had co-operated with the IFTDA and FWICE and obeyed the decision of the POSH Committee. FWICE was satisfied with his behaviour during the period of his Ban and after the completion of the one year of this punishment, the BAN on Shri Sajid Khan was lifted by the FWICE on 14.03.2019. Sajid Khan has now entered into the BIGG BOSS to earn his living."

He has also gone through the tough trials of the POSH committee and a lot of humiliation during those trying days in social media and other public platforms. A person who has already suffered his punishment and obeyed the decision of the IFTDA and the FWICE cannot be again tried and punished for the same offence. He has all the right to survive and earn his living and hence he has joined the Bigg Boss show. It is therefore requested to you to kindly please allow Sajid Khan to work for the show Bigg Boss and do not initiate any action against him as per the appeal submitted by the Delhi Commission of Women," the letter concluded.

Sajid Khan controversy

Back in 2018, multiple women had come out to share their #MeToo experiences against Sajid Khan, following which he stepped down as director of Housefull 4.

Sajid has been named by multiple women including two actresses – Saloni Chopra and Rachel White -- and one journalist for sexual misconduct. He has been called out not just for harassment but also for allegedly flashing women.

In response, Sajid had tweeted back then: "In the wake of the allegations against me and the pressure being put on my family, my producer and the stars of my film 'Housefull 4', I must take the moral responsibility of stepping down from my directorial post, till the time I can allay the allegations and prove the truth... I request my friends in the media to kindly not pass judgment till the truth is out."