Shah Rukh Khan entangled in IIPM legal knot?

Bangalore, Jun 23: What has top Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan got to do with IIPM? This was the exact question asked by the Karnataka High Court. The star has been embroiled in a brand new controversy for his endorsing of the Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM). The IIPM was involved in a fresh controversy recently.

The inquiry was based on the petitions of two former students, Praveen V Mesta and others who wanted to have more information on the institutions registration, recognition, affiliation or the provisions under which the institute was functioning. After preliminary inquiry by the students they found that the approval by MS University, Tamil Nadu to operate IIPM as an onsite academic partner is in actuality a private University and was not allowed to operate outside Tamil Nadu. It also does not have the adequate approval to conduct distance education courses.

While the matter has been taken to court, in the event of the institute failing to provide satisfactory replies, a notice is likely to be issued to even Shah Rukh who will be answerable to queries. Justice S Abdul Nazir who was hearing the petition cited the presence of the Bollywood star in the IIPM's prospectus and asked, “What has Shah Rukh Khan got to do with your institution? Does he have any contract as your brand ambassador? Or he is an old student? What is the connection? Can celebrities like him promote an educational institution as they promote a product?"

The counsel representing the founder-director of IIPM, Arindam Chaudhari claimed that all the documents have been given back to the petitioner. The students (petitioners) are currently seeking a refund of the fees they paid to the IIPM. The court was apparently told, “When the classes commenced in a godown in Electronics City, the devastated students questioned the staff about the genuineness of the course. To this the staff members revealed that IIPM was neither registered nor affiliated by any statutory authorities as required under law."

OneIndia News