Rahul Mishra, the organizer of the Ghat Festival in Jabalpur, has been arrested by the police. This action took place on Thursday after a ruckus in Ambience Lawn located on Bhedaghat-Sagda road. The organizer is accused of not remunerating the artists and cheating the audience.
By Prashant Pandey
Published Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2025 10:19:33 AM (IST)
Updated Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2025 10:39:32 AM (IST)
HighLights
- The organizer did not pay remuneration to the artists, the audience created a ruckus.
- Jabalpur police arrested organizer Rahul Mishra, manager absconding.
- Police have registered a case of fraud in Ghat Festival and started investigation.
Naiduniya Representative, Jabalpur(Ghat Festival Jabalpur). The police has arrested Rahul Mishra, the director of the organization that created disturbances in the Ghat Festival. This action took place on Thursday after a ruckus in Ambience Lawn located on Bhedaghat-Sagda road.
Famous Bollywood artists had refused to perform due to non-payment of full remuneration. Enraged by this, the spectators created vandalism and ruckus in the night. The district administration and police became active on Friday after discovering the chaotic situation, fraud with thousands of spectators and embezzlement of lakhs of rupees.
On the report of Gorakhpur’s Additional Tehsildar Rashmi Chaudhary, an FIR has been registered against organizer Cinecraft Entertainment director Rahul Mishra and event manager Aditya Srivastava and others. Manager Aditya is still absconding.
Tickets sold for up to Rs 10 thousand
The organizer was continuously promoting the program through internet media. Started selling tickets through Book My Show from Rs 333. Sold tickets up to three and a half thousand rupees per spectator. The ticket was blackened on Thursday. Tickets were sold at rates up to Rs 10,000 per person.
Some spectators from Indore, Bhopal and other cities of the state as well as from other states expressed their anger over the organizers not being able to perform the show even after purchasing the tickets at an expensive price. The event held from 22 to 26 January had approximately two thousand spectators on the first day itself.
In a relatively small space, more than three thousand spectators gathered in the name of big Bollywood artists. The district administration and police were not even informed about calling so many people.
Written and read after 24 hours
The festival was being promoted continuously through social media. There were more than one and a half thousand spectators on the very first day. On Thursday, more than three thousand spectators had attended the presentation of Bollywood artists. Bhedaghat police had no idea about the gathering of a large number of people.
After the uproar, police from another police station reached the spot and handled the situation. Even on Friday, Bhedaghat police took a long time to file an FIR against the organizer. Due to the intervention of senior officials, a complaint could be registered in the matter after 24 hours.
The police station could not even find the address of the house and office of the accused. In the initial investigation, the police have received complaints from more than six vendors who provided decorations and other resources in the program. Everyone has said that the amount has not been received from the organizer.
Thousands of people trapped after seeing MP Tourism and JATCC in publicity
The organizer used the names and logos of Madhya Pradesh Tourism (MPT), Jabalpur Archaeological Tourism Culture Council (JATCC) and another government department in the promotional material.
Seeing the government symbols, thousands of people fell into the trap of the organiser. After the uproar, all the concerned departments have now backed away from the permission. Influential people who released their videos to promote the program are also maintaining silence.
Further programs cancelled, game worth lakhs of rupees
The Ghat Festival was to be organized till January 26. Following the uproar the next day, further programs have been cancelled. The organizer had sold tickets in the name of performances by big Bollywood artists for the upcoming days. Many spectators had booked tickets in black by paying four times the price.
It is estimated that lakhs of rupees will be collected from the ticket. Lakhs of rupees were lost to those who installed tents, lights and sound in the programme. Many such people reached Bhedaghat police station to ask for money.
Congress accused of defrauding crores of rupees
Congress Committee President Saurabh Nati Sharma said that the public has been defrauded of crores of rupees in the name of Ghat Festival. In this case the corrupt face of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department has come to light. Congress will submit the complaint along with documents to the SP on Saturday demanding a high-level investigation.
