Sun Pictures Chief Operating Officer remanded in custody

CHENNAI: A senior Executive of Sun Pictures who who was held yesterday under charges including cheating and intimidation, was remanded to judicial custody, police said.

Hansraj Saxena, the Chief Operating Officer of Sun Pictures which is owned by Kalanidhi Maran, media magnate and grand-nephew of DMK chief M Karunanidhi, was arrested based on a complaint by a Salem-based distributor, a statement here late last night said.

T S Selvaraj, the complainant, had said that Saxena, whose Sun Pictures had produced the Tamil film, ' Theerada Vilayattu Pillai' starring Vishal, had sold him the film's Salem distribution rights for a sum of Rs 1.25 crore.

The film was released last year. However, Saxena had directly released the film with the help of local theatres, the release said, quoting the complaint.

When Sevaraj had demanded a sum of Rs 82.53 lakh from Saxena, he had delayed in repaying the sum and on January 5, 2011 Saxena had threatened Selvaraj when he asked for his money, the release said.

Selvaraj later filed a complaint on July 1 with KK Nagar police in Chennai, following which Saxena was arrested.