The police here have lodged a case of cheating and fraud against noted danseuse and social worker Mallika Sarabhai. According to the complainant, Manushi Hemant Singh, Sarabhai and Hemant Upadhyaya of the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts charged Rs 3.30 lakh each from a 13-member group promising a tour of the US. But, after the visa was denied, the entire amount was not refunded. The National Council of Civil Liberties, a pro-government NGO, then took up Manushi’s case.
Sarabhai says the refundable money, as per the contract signed with troupe members was Rs 3.10 lakh each, and has already been refunded. Manushi, though, alleges that Sarabhai had gone back on an ‘oral assurance’ to her that the whole amount would be returned. Her father adds that even the Rs. 3.10 lakh was returned with great reluctance.The troupe was to participate in the folklore arts section at WorldFest 2003 in April and had paid the money to the Academy by February. Originally, Sarabhai had asked for Rs 3 lakh each but later, when Brazil was added to the itinerary, an extra Rs 30,000 was demanded. The troupe was called to Mumbai for visa interviews on April 1, but were turned down.
According to Sarabhai’s version, Rs 20,000 per student had been retained as fees for teaching folk dance four hours a day for six months. And nobody had any complaints then. Sarabhai even advised a section of the press to look at the political connections of the complainant’s family, indicating she was being harassed for filing a petition against the Narendra Modi government in the Supreme Court in connection with the riots last year.
