Mumbai: Ratnakar Gutte, the father of the upcoming high-profile film The Accidental Prime Minister’s director, is being probed for cheating thousands of farmers. Debutant director Vijay Gutte’s father is the director of Gangakhed Sugar and Energy Private Limited, a company facing allegations of loans taken in farmers’ names without their approval. The court has ordered probe into the allegations.

Ratnakar Gutte’s company recently came into light when Aurangabad bench of Bombay high court ordered probed into allegations made by farmers. Five nationalised and a private bank granted a loan of total `328 cr to thousands of farmers even without them (the farmers) applying for it. The said loan amount has shockingly been transferred into accounts of Gangakhed Sugar Company. Ratnakar Gutte is also a Rashtriya Samaj Paksha leader.

The Asian Age tried to reach Mr Vijay Gutte by email and phone calls but didn’t get his response. This newspaper also contacted The Accidental Prime Minister’s producer, Sunil Bohra, who denied having any financial links with Mr Ratnakar Gutte. “I only know Vijay since eight years back. We did a film together and he is my friend since then. He is a director like any other and works with us at modest fees. I don’t know his family. Nobody in world has invested a single rupee in my film,” Mr Bohra said.

The Accidental Prime Minister is based on senior journalist Sanjaya Baru’s book of the same title on former PM, Dr Manmohan Singh. Veteran actor Anupam Kher is playing the role of Mr Singh in this biopic. The famous Bohra Brothers Production Limited is producing the film and renowned filmmaker Ashoke Pandit is the co-producer.

In a spot

• Ratnakar Gutte is the father of Vijay Gutte, the director of upcoming high-profile film The Accidental Prime Minister
• Gutte’s company recently came into light when the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay HC ordered probed into allegations made by farmers.
• The film’s producer, Sunil Bohra, denied having any financial links with Mr Gutte.