CHENNAI: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a case of corruption and criminal breach of trust against Padma Shree awardee Leela Samson , former director of Kalakshetra Foundation, and four others for financial irregularities in the renovation of Koothambalam Auditorium on its wooded Chennai campus.

The CBI FIR, based on a complaint from secretary and the chief vigilance officer of the union ministry of culture, names four suspects and says they spent Rs 62.20 lakh more than the estimated amount of Rs 7.01 crore on the project.

The accused persons are Leela Samson, TS Murthi, the then chief accounts officer at Kalakshetra Foundation, S Ramachandran, accounts officer and V Srinivasan, engineer at the Foundation, besides and Ravi Neelakantan, proprietor of M/s CARD and M/s Chennai Engineers.

CBI received the complaint dated May 31, 2017 about 'unfruitful expenditure' of Rs 7.01 crore made on the renovation of Koothambalam Auditorium at Kalakshetra Foundation. It alleged that work order for the renovation was awarded by the Foundation officials at a higher rate through the architect-consultant 'Centre for Architectural Research and Design' (CARD) without following the General Financial Rules (GRF).

The Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) audited the expenditure of the Foundation and brought out various lapses in executing the renovation works. It was also pointed out that the renovation works were undertaken without formal sanction of the governing board and finance committee of the Foundation.

This led to a huge controversy after which Samson resigned from the post of director and member of the civil works panel in 2012. Thereafter, the matter was referred to the CVC of the Ministry. The Central Public Works Department team in Chennai inspected the work and assessed that the Foundation had spent approximately Rs 62.20 lakh more than the estimated amount. The team also found that the contracts were awarded at a higher rate and payments made to the contractors. In 2017, the vigilance department of the ministry forwarded the complaint to the CBI after which a preliminary enquiry was carried out.

