Bangalore: Kannada Actor Suresh Mangalore in Trouble for Taking Bribe

Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Apr 3: Popular Kannada and Tulu actor Suresh Mangalore along with another noted actor Shivaram have landed in big trouble for allegendly taking bribe for granting subsidy to quality art films. Shivaram is the chairman of the subsity commitee, while Suresh Mangalore is a member.

Kannada movie director Kodlu Ramakrishna has registered a complaint against both these actors-cum-members at Bangalore's Upparapet police station. Police have registered the case under section 420, 120B and 506B.

What is this subsidy?

Karnataka government has been giving subsidy based on quality to 50 Kannada films since 2009-2010 (previously it was 30 films). The subsidy to Kannada films was introduced in the late 70s when Ramakrishna Hegde was union minister of state for finance. It has grown from Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lac per film. Quality is the criteria. A committee is appointed by Karnataka government to select the film after viewing it.

For 2009-2010, 108 Kannada films were before the subsidy committee headed by veteran actor Shivaram. Abiruchi Chandru, Mahadev, Ramakrishna, B R Lakshman Rao, Mahabala Murthy Kodlakere, Suresh Mangalore, SN Ravishanker were the other members.

It is Suresh Mangalore who dealt with the affairs and Rs 2 lac was the minimum amount fixed for the grant of Rs 10 lac for the subsidy of each of the 50 films.

For children's films the grant is Rs 25 lac, and the limit is for two films a year. The maker of children's film Kudlu Ramakrishna of ‘Bettadapura Ditta Makkalu’ on the advice of Suresh Mangalore deposited Rs 2.5 lac to Kotak Mahindra account. To his shock, his film was not found in the list.

The leaking of the list of 50 films in this case is a major setback to the corrupt Suresh Mangalore. When the print and electronic media caught hold of the shady deals in the subsidy committee, the head of the committee Shivaram declared that he had submitted the list but how it got leaked was shocking. Meanwhile, Shivaram stated that the one who has given and one who has taken should be punished in this case.

The government order for the list of 50 films that was supposed to get signature from the chief minister of Karnataka has been stalled, according to the government sources.

Popular satellite channel Suvarna 24x7 News channel caught the recordings with Suresh Mangalore accepting the bribe money.