Let Interpol Handles Cowboys's Director

May 17, 2010 - According to Antara, Bali police are to summon Amit Virmani, the maker of the "Cowboys in Paradise" documentary film who resides in Singapore, with the help of Interpol, a spokesman said.

Bali police spokesman Sr Com Gde Sugianyar Dwi Putra said that the police are going to do so after all the witnesses we have questioned and the evidence they have collected show Amit's involvement in punishable acts.

He said police had questioned six witnesses and their statements as well as the available evidence had led to the conclusion Amit had violated Indonesian laws in making the controversial documentary.

Sugianyar added that Amit can be charged with violating Law No 8/1992 on Film and be sentenced to a maximum jail term of one year and a fine of Rp40 million in lieu of an additional one year behind bars.

But as Amit was now in residing in Singapore, the Bali police would summon him through the Criminal Investigation Department of the National Police Headquarters which had a permanent link with Interpol.

Sugianyar admitted bringing Amit to Indonesia might not be an easy thing to accomplish as Indonesia did not have an
extradition treaty with Singapore. However, this possible hurdle does not prevent the police from building the case against the film director.

Amit's film which purports to depict the life of local young men as gigolos at Bali's Kuta beach has drawn angry reactions from Bali's authorities and community members as it was considered damaging the resort island's image as respectable tourist destination.