Teliamura Dhamail Festival Funds Under Scanner: High-Level Probe Sought Over Bills, Payments and Unpaid Artists
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, August 26, 2026
Allegations of financial irregularities, questionable billing and vendor selection in cultural programmes organised by the Information and Cultural Affairs (ICA) Department have triggered demands for a high-level, independent inquiry. The 2024 State-Level Dhamail Utsav in Teliamura has emerged as a major focus, with questions being raised over the utilisation of public funds and the alleged delay in payments to genuine artists and service providers.
According to allegations, some artists and vendors who actually participated in or provided services for the event have reportedly not received their legitimate dues even long after the programme, while questions have emerged over how programme-related bills could have been submitted by, or payments made to, persons who allegedly had no direct connection with the event. If established, such transactions would raise serious questions about the preparation, certification and approval of the concerned bills.
The allegations have assumed greater significance after a detailed Clarification Report on Programme-related Bills of the State-Level Dhamail Utsav–2024 came into circulation. The report was prepared from the official knowledge and recollection of a former Senior Information Officer of the Teliamura SDICA Office and repeatedly calls for verification from original government records.
According to the report, the Department initially sanctioned approximately Rs.1.50 lakh for the Dhamail festival. However, the two-day event included Dhamail performances as well as folk music, Kabigan, seminars, Kabi Sammelan, sports and other cultural programmes, resulting in expenditure beyond the original allocation.
The report estimates approximately Rs.1.67 lakh in expenditure for various programme components implemented through in-house management under the supervision of the Cultural Assistant. At the same time, funds were reportedly released by several authorities, including the District ICA Office, Khowai Municipal Council, Teliamura Municipal Council and Khowai Zilla Parishad. The report records total releases of approximately Rs.2.29 lakh from the authorities specifically listed, besides a separately mentioned adjustment of around Rs.26,000.
The report itself states that the difference between the estimated expenditure and the amounts released requires verification from the records maintained by the concerned authorities.
Another significant financial point concerns Rs.47,500 collected as stall rent during the festival. According to the clarification report, the money was deposited with the SDM Office, Teliamura, and subsequently released to Bhajana Biswas on the basis of communication from the SDICA Office towards approved programme-related expenditure. Questions have now been raised over the subsequent utilisation and accounting of this amount and whether the complete supporting records were submitted.
The report also records that certain programme-related bills were submitted in the name of Sanhita Das, with payments reportedly released by different local authorities into her account. The report further states that it was subsequently brought to the reporting officer's notice that she was related to Bhajana Biswas.
This has led to another important question that if an individual was named as the recipient of programme-related bills, did that person actually execute the work for which payment was claimed? If not, who performed the work, who received the money and under whose certification was the payment processed?
Particular attention has also been drawn to allegations that a journalist who had no direct involvement with the Dhamail programme have submitted a programme-related huge amount of claims and received several lakhs payment in his bank account.
The controversy has also brought renewed attention to the administrative status of Bhajana Biswas, Cultural Assistant.
According to the material cited by the Teliamura SDICA Office, a Directorate of Information and Cultural Affairs memorandum dated February 2, 2026 placed her under Compulsory Waiting for Posting until further orders. The office has also referred to the memorandum in the context of allegations concerning malpractices reported at the Teliamura SDICA Office and authentication of a suspicious voucher, with an inquiry and further service-related proceedings under consideration.
The office has stated that Bhajana Biswas is currently not posted at the Teliamura SDICA Office and that her salary is being drawn through the District Information and Cultural Affairs Office, Khowai.
According to the office, she had earlier been transferred to the Belonia ICA Office in 2025 but subsequently approached the court citing her mother's illness and the need to care for her. The transfer matter is stated to be subject to legal proceedings, while no fresh specific posting at the Teliamura SDICA Office was subsequently issued.
The clarification came after a report concerning her visit to the Teliamura office on August 25 and her allegation that no chair and table had been provided for her. The office has rejected the suggestion that this reflected denial of facilities to a posted employee, arguing that she currently has no specific posting at the Teliamura office.
SIO Dulal Debbarma, in a statement issued on behalf of the office, has urged media organisations to verify government orders, posting status and official records before publishing reports concerning administrative matters.
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