The business of fashion can be tricky at times. The Kolkata Fashion Week and Elite Model Management (India) Pvt. Ltd seem to be at loggerheads. The Elite?Model Management has filed an FIR against Mindscapes Maestros Events and Sports Management Private Limited for allegedly cheating?Elite and for the non-payment of services rendered during the KFW held in 2009.
The FIR has been allegedly registered against Pratik Sen, Yudhajit Dutta and Randeb Paul, the directors of Mindscapes. But, the owners are now playing the blame game and shrugging off the responsibility. Sushma Puri, CEO & Director,?Elite?Model Management India says, “It is evident that Mindscapes and its directors have cheated all of us, they owe us around Rs 45 lakh payment for the services provided during KFW held in September 2009. They have allegedly cheated various other vendors also, including choreographers, backstage managers, light and sound designers, music compilers, models, fabricators.”
However, one of the co-directors, Pratik Sen tells a different story and denies all the allegations. He says, “The main culprit, Yudhajit Dutta, was removed from the board of directors because he started another company called Purple People, and wanted to collaborate with Sushma Puri to start a new KFW. Also, during the first season the Elite group charged us Rs 38 lakh, which was increased to Rs 49 lakh in the second season without our consent. But, during the two seasons of the KFW the owner company suffered huge losses in crores and he couldn’t implement the plan of starting a new version of the KFW. Now, that he is unable to pay, he is trying to put the blame on us.”
According to the latest developments, the owners of Mindscapes have denied any information about the FIR filed against them. However, Elite management is determined and has refuted all claims by presenting a legal document, which has the stamp from directors proving that the FIR has been received by the owners.