MUMBAI: After news spread that a hotel in Madhya Pradesh’s capital city Bhopal had locked its gates, keeping about 60 persons, mostly from Mumbai, behind locked doors for non payment of hotel dues by the producers Alok Chaube and Sanjay Gupta, the later who is Mumbai-based retorted: “I have already spent Rs 2 crore. Everyday I am being threatened and blackmailed for money. I am not the producer, I am an investor. My investment was limited, which I have already done. Some payments got delayed We had requested Hotel Abhinandan and the other hotel to give us time till 12th January. Our main sponsors and principles are US-based and as the world knows, the US is closed for 15 days during the Christmas-New Year period. My senior officials from the Mumbai office had contacted the hotel authorities, explaining the situation to them. My Mumbai team offered a PD cheque for the entire amount, requesting for time till 12th January as companies in the US are closed till 5 or 7 Jan. But the hotel authorities were not ready to listen. They just wanted upfront cash payment,” Gupta said.
Apparently, Gupta’s office made several attempts with the hotel management to sort out the matter by handing over a PDC, but the hotel was adamant – they only wanted upfront cash.
According to Gupta, “It is a known fact that in business, 45 to 60 days credit is provided. We are legitimately registered company with all our credentials intact. This issue has been blown out of proportion. Some persons who have pending dues of Rs 5000 or Rs 10,000 including one actor and another crew member are making all the noise. This is fake news. We have made all the payments. Every producer avails of credit. There is a conspiracy behind this to blackmail me and threaten me that my name as a producer will be sullied so that I arrange the money asap. Some persons are trying to extort me. Credit is provided to everyone in business. I have paid hotel Abhinandan Rs 4.5 lakh and had requested them for time till 12 January. This is extortion and blackmail. The hotel cannot lock its gates and detain crew members. At most, they can hold my equipment, but individuals cannot be detained by hotel. The payments are being cleared by the Mumbai office. We had told them we need time till 10 or 12 January as our principles and sponsors in the US are closed till 7th January. Even the media is publishing stories without speaking to me. My lawyers are now taking legal action. Payments are being made, but have been delayed by a few days due to holidays. It is normal for payments to get delayed by 10 to 15 days during the holiday season, when people are out on vacation.” Sanjay Gupta said.
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