-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | Goanetters annual meet in Goa is scheduled for Dec 27, 2005 @ 4pm | | | |The Riviera Opposite Hotel Mandovi, Panjim (near Ferry Jetty/Riverfront)| | Attending.......drop a line to [EMAIL PROTECTED] | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Film fest 2004 under CBI scanner HindustanTimes.com Rajnish Sharma New Delhi, December 29, 2005 Billed as a global brand ambassador, it is turning out to be a major egg-in-the-face. The CBI has started probing "largescale misappropriation" of funds for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), 2004, held in Goa following a request by the state government.
The resort had been made a permanent IFFI venue to promote the event on the lines of the Cannes Film Festival. The state government had written to the Centre saying it suspected financial irregularity and procedural lapses in organizing the festival. The state had a BJP-led government at that time. The ministry of personnel had referred it to the CBI, which is investigating it. Sources said the initial probe revealed that committees and panels involved in the talks acted beyond their scope, resulting in financial irregularities. The figure, cite sources, could be to the tune of several crores and they are still trying to figure out the amount. The probe also revealed that bulk of the embezzlement took place between May 2004 and March 2005. The then state government had formed the Entertainment Society of Goa to monitor preparations for the festivals. The CBI teams are monitoring inspection reports and society accounts. Besides the state government, the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry and the Planning Commission had also allocated additional funds for IFFI. Sources said the CBI was going through the accountants' general draft review report highlighting several financial lapses in IFFI, 2004. "It was only after the accountant-general highlighted the irregularities that the state government became alert and decided to hand it over to the CBI," a source said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Goa - 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions | | | | Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages | | Vacationing in Goa this year-end - Carry and distribute Soccer Balls | --------------------------------------------------------------------------