Allegation galore against `Youth Icon`™ regarding financial fraudulence; criminal cases lodged
By Paojel Chaoba
IMPHAL, May 23: In a classic case of cheating and fraudulence using public platform, one Kangujam Kanarjit has managed to dupe many young investors including private institutions to the tune of several lakh rupees.
The person in question, who has been nominated for the `Global Youth Icon Award`™ recently, is the the mastermind behind organizing the Global Youth Meet 2014 and World Youth Summit 2015.
In an investigation conducted by this IFP reporter, it was found that Kanarjit owes various organizations, self-help groups, hotels, individuals etc. a huge sum and there are various criminal cases filed against him in court.
According to one case bearing Criminal case number 32 of 2015, in the court of the CJM , Imphal West, a verbal work order was placed by Kanarjit to Sandeep Soubam (complainant) for making all the art work, designs, prints and promotional infrastructure for the Global Youth Meet, 2014.
Sandeep was formally made to submit a rate quotation of the work.
Interestingly, according to the rules made by Kanarjit, the contractor or supplier of the work was supposed to deposit an amount before commencing the work.
Sandeep as per agreement deposited a sum of Rs 4,76,000 to UNESCO Youth Foundation, Imphal Office under account number 49000200000019 at Bank of Baroda.
The complainant after engaging skilled labourers started all art work and designs, promotions for the mentioned event from January 13, 2014 till February 25.
After completion, a bill amounting to Rs 13,54,840 was submitted. However, on giving one pretext or the other, Kanarjit still refrains from clearing his dues thereafter resulting in the legal action.
In short, Kanarjit took advance of investor`™s money and at the same time made them complete his task, but never paid the dues owed after completion of work.
Aside from this legal complaint, it may be mentioned that a report was carried in the Sangai Express of May 6 last, bearing similar charges of fraud. It said that self help groups namely Backward Development Organization of Thoudam Leishangthem and Vegetable and Fruit Development self help group were contracted by Kanarjit for making mementoes, stage and hall hiring.
The two organizations also paid 40 % in advance for getting the work contract. Till conclusion of the Global Youth Meet in February, 2014. Kanarjit has not paid the dues and many such payments has not been cleared to others, the report carried.
It was also found that Kanarjit had also hired 40 rooms of Hotel Classic for lodging delegates from other States and foreign nationals for the youth meet. After the event, the outstanding bill amounting to Rs 1.5 lakh approximately was not cleared. He was later blacklisted by the Hotel authorities in 2014.
But, Kanarjit somehow managed to convince the authorities of the hotel and further rented rooms for the World Youth Summit of 2015, held in April.
Instead of clearing the previous amount, the current outstanding amount of Rs 1.58 lakh has not been cleared till date. Sources said that despite the due, Kanarjit collected Rs 30,000 from Babina Diagnostic Centre which is a sister concern of the Classic Hotel for the Katmandu earthquake relief fund.
Besides hotel bills, Kanarjit has to pay dues to CRED, photographers, caterers including the music band Eastern Dark which performed in the 2014 Meet among others.
Adding up to the con activities of Kanarjit, he manipulated many individuals and private industries by using the United Nations UNESCO`™s name.
The first Global Youth Meet was organized then as by `UNESCO Youth Foundation`™ Asia Pacific Region, Regional Office in collaboration with Club 25 International (USA). Kanarjit had opened the Bank of Baroda under UNESCO Youth Foundation to make others believe in his credibility for ties with the UN.
After misusing the UNESCO acronym and symbol, the matter was brought to the notice of Director and UNESCO representative of India, Shigeru Aoyagi by a lawyer S Raghumani in November 2014. Shigeru replied that the UNESCO logo and acronym is wrongly used and that he had intimated earlier to the Club 25 chairman and UNESCO Youth Foundation to refrain from using the mentioned. Afterwards, the logo and name was removed.
The question is why did Kanarjit mention UNESCO in the first place without having any links with the mentioned UN body ? According to a press release carried on October 18 last, from Club 25 International , Manipur, Thangmeiband Sinam Leikai of which Kanarjit is the General Secretary), it said that Kanarjit will attend a General Assembly at Albania. That he is the managing director of Trans-Asian Hospitality Industries Pvt. Ltd.., a volunteer of the United Nations Organization, coordinator of UNESCO for Medical Awareness Movement in Asia-Pacific for Disaster Management. Complainants have said that he is creating fake organizations and persona mentioning UNESCO to avail credibility and profit from unsuspecting investors and donors.
Kanarjit even duped his Chairman of the Global Youth Meet, 2014. A verbal order was given by Kanarjit to some masons for repairing of the Club 25 International, Manipur building in 2014. The bill amounted to Rs 1,47,094.45 paisa, but the bill was not cleared until a criminal case was registered. The case involved some individuals beside Kanarjit, particularly a retired high ranking government officer.
The officer replied to the mentioned criminal litigation stating that he was the temporary chairman of Global Youth Meet, 2014 and not involved in any financial transactions. He declared back to the legal notice that, his signature was forged by K Kanarjit .
His declaration said, `One day your clients came to my residence bringing a concocted letter issued by K Kanarjit, Sec. Gen of Club-25 International using my false signature under letter number UNESCOYF/OH/14/14(Pt-I) dated 22/04/2014 . My signature was used to inform people whom Kanarjit owed money that the dues would be cleared by 30/06/2014. No letter was issued from my side. This is purely a forged letter, even my signature was upside down.` The retired officer declared that Kanarjit is a fraud and he had tried to malign the officer`™s image and implicate him.
Besides the cheating and fraud perpetrated by Kanarjit, he also disguises himself and projects a fake persona. He drives an Indica Car with allegedly carries a flag post, pins unreliable badges, flaunts an official relation with UNESCO to gain access to government departments and private institutions. The investigation is also digging into his claim of receiving the prestigious ` Dr. Ambedkar National Award,2013.`™ Initial investigation through the internet shows no result of Kanarjit receiving the said award.
