So, what’s your deal with IIPM again? Court wants an answer from Shah Rukh

It seems as if the troubles are not ceasing for the veteran actor Shah Rukh Khan. Not long ago he was named in the QNET scam, a scam-ridden multi-level marketing firm that has allegedly duped lakhs of investors in the country, which he had allegedly endorsed and promoted. This time, the case is of the disputed institute, ‘Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM)’ which was headed by the deceitful Arindam Chaudhary who toyed with the careers of thousands of students and it looks like Shah Rukh Khan had a long association with him and the institute and that he knew what he was getting into when he started promoting it.

The IIPM, founded in 1973 by Malayendra Kishore Chowdhury, was established as an ‘alternative’ to IIMs in India. IIPM was described as being affiliated with the International Management Institute of Belgium, and there was a time when it had branches in 18 cities of the country. The former centres were in cities like New Delhi, Noida, Mumbai, Gurugram, etc.

However, the UGC, taking strict action against IIPM for financial irregularities and concealing necessary information closed 17 of its 18 centres by 2015 and decided that IIPM should not be recognized by any educational institution in the country. IIPM now has only one Research and Development Institute in Delhi, and that too is not UGC accredited. 

Filled with every other modern amenities, Arindam Chaudhuri used to promote this institution vigorously as an alternative to IIMs and IITs. His institute had the rather arrogant tag line of ‘Dare to think beyond IIT and IIM.’ 

According to two former students of the institute who have filed a case against IIPM, Shah Rukh Khan has not only advertised for this institute, but he has also participated in various events and campus festivals organized by IIPM.

According to the petitioners’ advocate Dipanjan Dutt, “He was enrolled in the institute only after seeing Shah Rukh Khan promoting IIPM in advertisements, as Shah Rukh Khan was seen as the brand ambassador of IIPM, hence the role of Shah Rukh Khan the then brand ambassador of IIPM needs to be examined thoroughly and the CBI should be entrusted with the investigation.”

At the same time, Shah Rukh Khan’s advocate tried to defend him in the case. According to him, ‘Shah Rukh Khan has done only a few advertisements for IIPM’. However, the truth seems far from it. If you browse through old videos of IIPM, then it will be clear as a day that Shah Rukh Khan did not just advertise for IIPM albeit he promoted it like his own product.

This is the reason that now High Court Judge Devangshu Basak has sought answers from Shah Rukh Khan. In his decision, he has asked Shah Rukh, his production company Red Chillies Entertainment and IIPM promoter Arindam Chaudhary to submit separate affidavits.

Along with this, an answer has also been sought from the West Bengal government. The court has asked the Mamata Banerjee government to explain why the investigation on the allegations on IIPM should not be handed over from the state police to the CBI.

Some of the questions that arise from this incident are, “Is there no accountability of Shah Rukh Khan to the public?” If he had such deep connections with the IIPM, as pointed out by the petitioners in Maheshwar Peri and the Kolkata High Court, were they not promoting a fake institution? 

Shah Rukh Khan’s name had also surfaced in the QNET case, and if the allegations prove to be true against the Bollywood star, strictest of punishment should be imposed on Khan to set an example that celebrities can not endorse any product or in this case an Educational institution which can bring turmoil in the lives of innocent students who look up to these artists.