CHENNAI: The South Indian Artistes Association (SIAA) is all set to initiate legal action against some of its former office-bearers, including ex-president Sarath Kumar.
Announcing this at a press conference here after the SIAA’s fourth executive committee meeting, current president Nasser said, “We discussed several issues thoroughly during the meeting and have passed resolutions on them. As the complete accounts of the SIAA for the year 2014-15 and the accounts of the Charitable Trust for the years 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 have not been submitted with proper receipts despite three months having passed from the time former office-bearers demitted office, it has been decided to lodge a complaint against the president, secretary and the treasurer of the previous term with the economic offences wing.”
Nasser also said that the SIAA had passed a resolution to cancel the deal struck between SPI cinemas and the nadigar sangam charitable trust by paying SPI Cinemas a sum of `2.50 crore. The deal was struck during the tenure of the former office-bearers of the SIAA.
Speaking on the occasion, SIAA treasurer Karthi said, “Usually, accounts must be submitted on the day a team demits office. However, we chose to be patient and not initiate any action because any such move could be misconceived. We fixed a period of three months and chose to wait for them to submit the accounts. On January 9, they submitted the accounts of the Trust for the last two years. However, they were unauthenticated papers, which we couldn’t accept. Similarly, the vouchers were all without approval. In other words, they were incomplete. Therefore, we have written to them asking them to submit the complete documents.”
“The executive committee today felt that we can’t wait any longer. Members have begun questioning us as to why no action has been initiated against them. If we have to accept the accounts that they submitted as a book on January 9th , we can only do so after pronouncing it as being unauthenticated. This book is being audited now. At the end of the process, legal action will be initiated. We are to issue showcause notices to them,” Karthi added.