J&K-based ad agency sends legal notice to Congress for non-payment of dues

New Delhi: A Jammu and Kashmir-based outdoor advertising company has sent a legal notice to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other leaders for not paying the dues incurred by the agency during Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra in the union territory.

The Jammu-based company, Hamid Bros, was engaged by the Congress for advertising the yatra by installing sign boards and flex boards in different parts of the erstwhile state.

In its legal notice also sent to Jammu and Kashmir in-charge Rajni Patil and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Vikar Rasool, the company has claimed that the party had paid an advance amount of Rs 500,000 to it after signing the contract and agreeing to the price quotation of Rs 16,13,000. An amount of Rs 11,13,000 was still pending with the Congress party, it added.

Terming the non-payment of dues a "criminal act of fraud", the legal notice further claimed that the company tried to contact the party's local leadership on several occasions but no substantial steps were taken.

"On one hand, Mr Rahul Gandhi has acted in such a bold and inspirational manner attracting millions of like-minded people and on the other hand such illegal acts are being committed by the members of the party (Congress) which is ironical," the company's lawyer Zulker Nain Sheikh said in the notice.

Jammu-based ad agency, Hamid Bros, sends a legal notice to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other leaders for not paying the dues incurred by the agency during Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra in the union territory. pic.twitter.com/wj59BgrEK4

— NewsDrum (@thenewsdrum) March 15, 2023

The company has threatened legal action against the party if the remaining amount was not paid immediately.

In another instance, a Mohali (Punjab)-based company Print Hub has also written a letter to the party's central leadership, seeking payment of its pending dues.

In its letter, Print Hub claimed that it had bagged a contract of Rs 1.20 crore for publicity and advertisement of the Bharat Jodo Yatra directly from the Jammu and Kashmir Congress. While the party deducted Rs 25 lakh from the agreed sum due to unknown reasons, the company said it has so far received an amount of Rs 80 lakh while Rs 15 lakh was still pending with the party.

Mohali (Punjab)-based ad agency Print Hub's letter to the central leadership of Congress, seeking payment of its pending dues. pic.twitter.com/ONWEbWU8mT

— NewsDrum (@thenewsdrum) March 15, 2023

Meanwhile, Congress leaders from Jammu and Kashmir have alleged embezzlement of crores of rupees sent by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) for the management of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in the union territory. They have demanded a thorough probe by the central leadership into the financial irregularities and mismanagement of the yatra by certain leaders from Jammu and Kashmir and the AICC level as well.