Suresh Mangalore denies bribery charges

In a recent TV expos������, producers Raghu Kumar and Kodlu Ramakrishna allegedly caught Kannada Film Subsidy Committee member Suresh Mangalore accepting a bribe to enlist Kodlu���������s film on the subsidy recommendation list. But when Bangalore Times spoke to Suresh, he had a different story to tell.
���������Kodlu Ramakrishna and I have been friends for over two decades.He wanted me to act in his film for which he gave an amount. It is not a bribe to get a subsidy for his film, which is what people have been made to believe. I have sent an explanation to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce in this regard and have also discussed the matter with Subsidy Committee president S Shivaram. I am innocent,��������� he claims.
Earlier, producer HD Raghu Kumar, whose film Meghave Meghave had been submitted for a subsidy, had claimed that he was asked to pay `2 lakh by a mediator who was helping him fix a meeting with Shivaram. ���������My film was made keeping the subsidy guidelines in mind. When I approached the committee on this issue, a mediator told me to return with 2 lakh, and said that he would get me the subsidy,��������� claimed Raghu, adding, ���������I told the mediator to organize a meeting with Shivaram and that I would pay up then, even though I had no intention of paying.���������
Raghu���������s film did not make it to the list of films submitted to the government for the subsidy. That���������s when he decided to enlist the help of a TV channel to expose the corruption. ���������I wanted everybody to take notice of this,��������� says Raghu.
But Raghu was not the only one who was allegedly asked to pay up. Kodlu Ramakrishna claims to have paid 2.5 lakh (of the 6 lakh he was asked for) to get his film Bettadapurada Dittamakalu enlisted in the children���������s film category. ���������When I approached committee member, Suresh Mangalore to process my application, I was told to pay him 6 lakh to get the film listed. I transferred 2.5 lakh to his account as an advance,��������� claims Kodlu. Despite the payment, his film did not make it to the list.
According to sources, though, Kodlu���������s film does not adhere to subsidy guidelines and would not have made it to the list. Then why did he pay up? ���������My aim was to catch corrupt people red-handed. Suresh now says that he will return my money,��������� says Kodlu.
The subsidy committee chooses films that are eligible for government subsidy every year. The subsidy ranges between 10 lakh and 25 lakh. For the year 2009-2010, 109 films were submitted for consideration, of which 52 were granted a subsidy. Five of these films were State and National Award winners, while two were children���������s films.
Shivaram refused to comment on the issue, preferring to pass the buck instead. ���������Speak to those who have paid a bribe and those who have accepted it. I���������m not associated with this issue. I���������ve submitted my report to the government,��������� is all he says.
Director of the Information Department in the government, Bevinamarada BA, told BT that a report on the issue has been submitted in the CM���������s secretariat.
Meanwhile, film chamber of commerce president, KV Chandrashekhar, confirmed the receipt of Suresh���������s letter. ���������The chamber will discuss the same shortly and action will be taken accordingly,��������� he says.