Seven crore cheating case against former head of music drama academy in Chennai

(PTI) New Delhi, Ta. December 14, 2019, Saturday

The CBI filed a case against a well-known Bharatanatam dancer and former chairman of the Musical Drama Academy, Lily Samson, for allegedly cheating Rs 7.2 crore in the name of the renovation project of the auditorium of Chennai's Kuthambalam Kalakshetra Foundation, officials said today.

Along with Lily Samson, Padma Shri Award winner and former chairman of the censor board, Lieu Samson, the Foundation's Chief Account Officer, TS Murthy, Accounts Officer S Ramachandran, Engineering Officer V Srinivasan and CARD (CARD) also filed cases against the owner of the CBI. There were also raids.

In a complaint to the CBI, the Cultural Ministry Chief Vigilance Officer alleged that the Foundation officials had handed over all the rules of the General Finance Rules to the Consultant Architect CARD (Card) for a renewal contract.

After investigating in 2016, the Ministry of Culture alleged that the 84-year-old foundation had spent only Rs 62.20 lakh behind an estimated cost of Rs 7.2 crore. The estimates, released by the Central Public Works Department, revealed that the money was contracted at higher prices. Was also paid, the FIR said.