Snehashish roy
Veteran actor and Cine & TV Artistes Association (CINTAA) president Poonam Dhillon has strongly rejected allegations of financial irregularities and misuse of power within the organisation, saying that every rupee raised by the association is accounted for and used for its intended purpose. The latest statement comes amid an escalating internal dispute that has seen several members resign from CINTAA’s executive committee.
Addressing the media on Monday, Dhillon, along with CINTAA general secretary Padmini Kolhapure and other office-bearers, sought to respond to allegations made by former and dissenting members of the organisation. The leadership said it wanted to put the “complete facts” on record rather than allow what it described as a one-sided narrative to define CINTAA’s functioning.
Dhillon dismissed the allegations as “completely baseless and false”. She said that every penny raised by CINTAA is properly accounted for and reaches its intended beneficiary.
“Not a single rupee is used for personal gain,” Dhillon said, adding that the organisation has “zero tolerance for anything illegal or unconstitutional”. She maintained that CINTAA’s work is based on transparency, accountability and facts, and added that “the records speak for themselves”.
Padmini Kolhapure also rejected the allegations, saying the funds raised by CINTAA are handled responsibly and directed towards the people and causes for which they are intended. She reiterated that the office-bearers have maintained a strict position against anything unlawful or unconstitutional.
The controversy within CINTAA intensified after members of its executive committee resigned, citing concerns over the functioning and leadership of the association. General secretary Upasana Singh has accused Dhillon and Kolhapure of adopting an authoritarian approach and alleged that dissenting members were being sidelined.
Singh has also raised questions over transparency and the manner in which decisions were being taken within the organisation. Other allegations have included claims of unilateral decision-making, bypassing constitutional procedures and concerns over the representation of CINTAA in legal matters. These allegations have been strongly denied by Dhillon and Kolhapure.
The dispute has also involved the Cine Artistes Welfare Trust (CAWT), with Dhillon saying that she and other members were unhappy with the manner in which the trust had handled certain matters.
Dhillon has previously said that the controversy began after some members failed to get the outcome they wanted through legal proceedings. According to her, they subsequently made what she described as “strange and serious allegations” against her and Kolhapure. She also accused some individuals of making hurtful and offensive statements against them.
The actor has repeatedly stressed that her personal integrity is at stake in the dispute. She said she has spent more than four decades building her reputation in the film industry and does not want that reputation compromised by allegations she considers false.
Dhillon has also pushed back against complaints about the prominence given to her and Kolhapure in CINTAA’s activities. She argued that the two were receiving attention because they were actively working for the organisation and using their personal professional contacts to benefit its members.
At the latest press interaction, CINTAA’s leadership also addressed the issue of its bank account being frozen. The office-bearers said they were following the organisation’s constitution and legal procedures while working to resolve the issue. They acknowledged that the situation had created hurdles in the association’s day-to-day functioning but maintained that member welfare remained their priority.
The leadership further emphasised that CINTAA’s primary responsibility is to protect the rights, interests and dignity of artistes. They said the organisation’s decades-long legacy should not be defined by selective allegations or internal disagreements.