CINTAA Row: Upasana Singh Alleges Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure Accessed Frozen Accounts, Rs 90 Lakh in FDs at Centre of Storm

Nagma backs the claims as the artistes’ body awaits an Oct. 26 court hearing. The accused have not yet responded.

MUMBAI: The long-running power struggle inside the Cine and Television Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) just got a lot messier. Actor and former office-bearer Upasana Singh has made serious allegations about the body’s fixed deposits and bank accounts, naming veteran actors Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure. Actress Nagma has since backed her concerns.

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These are allegations only. Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure have not yet responded, and none of the claims has been tested in court.

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What Upasana Singh Alleges

Speaking exclusively to IANS, Upasana said CINTAA holds fixed deposits and accounts across five banks. When the previous committee was dissolved, she said, the banks were informed that the committee no longer existed and that the accounts should stay frozen until a new committee was legally in place. Deepak Parashar was treasurer at the time.

According to her, her side believed the accounts would only be reopened after a court order recognised the new committee. But she alleges the team later found that an account had already been opened and that money from CINTAA’s fixed deposits had been moved into it.

Upasana claims office staff helped the process. She alleges they took staff to the bank, showed the organisation’s stamp, email ID and office, and asked the bank to open an account through KYC. She named Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure as part of that group, along with a person she referred to as Paintal. She further alleged that those involved declared themselves the committee without holding any position, including that of general secretary.

On the money, Upasana said the transfers happened through different transactions and that it is not yet clear how many fixed deposits were broken. She put the total sitting in the deposits at around Rs 90 lakh. Her main question was one of process: breaking an institution’s FDs, she argued, requires asking the members first.

Nagma Joins the Chorus

Nagma, who appeared equally upset, spoke to IANS and questioned how the money was being used. Her biggest worry was reports that broken fixed deposits were being used to pay staff salaries during the dispute. The money, she said, belongs to artistes, and she asked how it could be used this way.

She also pointed to the calendar. The court has fixed a hearing for Oct. 26, and Nagma said everyone should wait until then and accept whatever the court decides, even if it goes against her side. In her view, there was no reason to force open the office and start functioning before then.

One related report from the same dispute also suggests that a police complaint has been filed by Upasana’s side, alleging that documents were taken improperly. Readers should treat that claim with the same caution until it is officially confirmed.

Why This Matters

CINTAA is not a small club. It represents working film and television artistes, and its funds are meant to support members, including through welfare measures for those who need help. That is why the question of who controls the money has become the most explosive part of the fight.

The dispute is also a clash of big names. Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure are among the best-known faces of 1980s Hindi cinema, while Upasana Singh and Nagma are familiar to audiences across films and television. When names like these end up on opposite sides, every statement becomes headline news.

What It Could Mean Next

For the accused: If Dhillon and Kolhapure respond, expect them to challenge the claims, and their side of the story could change the picture entirely. Until they speak, the public has heard only one version, and it would be unfair to treat the allegations as established.

For the court case: The Oct. 26 hearing now looks even bigger. A ruling on which committee is legally in charge would settle who may operate the accounts, and it could also decide how the banking dispute is handled.

For the banks: If a frozen account was in fact opened, as alleged, banks may face questions about their KYC and verification processes. Any internal review or legal notice would add a new layer to the row.

For members: Ordinary artistes are the ones with the most at stake. If funds were affected, members may demand audits and transparent accounts. Whatever the court decides, expect louder calls for clarity on how association money is managed.

For the industry’s image: Fights over control of film bodies are nothing new, but a public argument about money tends to hurt trust. A quick, transparent resolution would help the association most.

Also Read: https://ultapaltakhabar.com/pratyusha-banerjee-case-bombay-high-court-discharges-rahul-raj-singh-after-a-decade-long-legal-battle/

The Questions Everyone Is Asking

Were the accounts really frozen, and who authorised any change?
How many fixed deposits, if any, were broken, and where did the money go?
Were the funds used for staff salaries, as Nagma alleges, and who approved that?
Will Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure break their silence before the court date?

For now, the answers will have to wait. With a court hearing less than a month away and both sides digging in, the CINTAA saga looks far from over.

We will update this story as soon as there is a response from Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure. Stay tuned to ultapaltakhabar.com for more entertainment news.

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