Graft overshadows IFFK this time
When asked, Mr Shaji said he was unaware of their backgrounds
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-11-03 06:59 GMT
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 20th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) has landed in a soup with the arrest of Melwyn Williams Chirayath, sponsorship agent appointed by the Kerala State Chalachithra Academy, in connection with a cheating case.
Allegations are rife that the academy brought in Melwyn and Meghna Agnihotri (IFFK festival programmer) in the organising team of the festival despite knowing that both of them were involved in fraudulent practices and misappropriation of funds at the Ladakh Film Festival.
Sources say that director Shaji N. Karun, who is in charge of conducting IFFK, brought in Melwyn and Meghna. When asked, Mr Shaji said he was unaware of their backgrounds.
“I brought them in the best interest and our priority is to ensure smooth conduct of IFFK. Fund crunch is an issue haunting IFFK and I brought in Melwyn as a sponsorship agent and he is not part of the academy or the organising team of the festival. His job is only to bring in sponsors so that we have enough funds for the conduct of the festival,” said Mr Shaji.
“I knew both Melwyn and Meghna and they have the experience in conducting festivals. There is a lobby outside who wants to sabotage and defame this festival. There are some people who were part of the organising team and they want to make a comeback by raising such false allegations,” he added.
Former festival programmer Deepika Suseelan, who stepped down from the post a couple of months back owing to differences with the management, alleged that there is widespread corruption in the conduct of IFFK.
“The academy claims that both of them joined after my resignation. But the truth is they were appointed before my resignation. It was my decision to resign and would never join the academy again even if they take me,” said Deepika.