District Collector S. Suhas has asked the representatives of Kochi Music Foundation (KMF) not to use his name as a patron of the organisation.
The letter comes close on the heels of allegations raised against the KMF representatives that they had not remitted the proceeds of ‘Karuna’, a musical event held here on November 1, towards the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund.
After the controversy erupted, Aashiq Abu, filmmaker and one of the organisers of the event, had posted the image of a cheque for ₹6.22 lakh dated February 14 towards the relief fund. The director had claimed in his social media post that the event was not meant to collect funds for the relief fund. However, they later took a decision to contribute it towards the fund.
In a letter addressed to Bijibal, music director and secretary of KMF, Mr. Suhas said he was not a patron of the foundation and it was found that the representatives had used his name without his permission. He also warned that legal action would be taken against them for using his name.
Plaint to police
The Collector said he had forwarded a complaint filed by Sandeep Warrier, State secretary of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, alleging financial irregularities in the conduct of the music event to the District Police Chief (Kochi city).
Mr. Bijibal said in his response that the inclusion of the name of the District Collector as a patron was a “clerical error” from their side. He asked those raising allegations against the organisers of the event to take the legal course.
Mr. Warrier had shared an RTI document last week alleging that the organisers had not remitted the proceeds of the event towards the CM’s relief fund.
Hibi Eden, Congress MP, had alleged that the organisers had submitted a letter to the managing committee of the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium saying that the musical event was held for collecting money for the relief fund. He had also pointed out that the cheque for ₹6.22 lakh was remitted only after the issue hit the headlines.