PANJIM: The Additional District Court-1, at Mapusa, on Friday issued notices to the defendants (the government) in the suit filed by Percept Live Pvt Ltd for recovery of money.
Percept Live is the organiser of Sunburn electronic dance music (EDM) and it has filed a suit for recovery of money from the government.
The notices are issued to the Chief Secretary, Tourism Secretary and Director of Tourism for their reply and adjourned the matter for further hearing to January 14, 2019.
According to Percept Live, the government failed to return EDM security deposit to the tune of Rs 1.25 crore for the year 2015 and another Rs 78.38 lakh (approx) towards interest from 2016 to 2018.
When the case came up for hearing on Friday, the plaintiff’s advocate submitted to the court that the government has issued a back dated forfeiture notice.
Percept Live has alleged that Goa government and Department of Tourism have illegally held back the security deposit that was made for hosting Sunburn-2015.
“Percept had organized Sunburn 2014 at Vagator from December 27-29 in accordance with the terms and conditions prescribed in various required statutory permissions and licenses, etc. Percept was charged a non-refundable event fee of Rs 1 crore for holding the event in 2014 and it was paid to the department. Percept was also charged security deposit of Rs 1 crore as a security for proper conduct of the festival in the same year. This amount was also paid. The defendants (Chief Secretary, Tourism Secretary and Tourism Director) however failed and neglected to refund the security deposit,” the plaint states.
The company further said that in the following year, the security deposit was adjusted but the government imposed a separate amount of Rs 25 lakh as additional security deposit, which was heeded to.
“The Sunburn 2015 was also conducted as per the terms and conditions. The government has till date not refunded the gross amount despite reminders and meetings,” the plaint reads as.
Percept has also charged around Rs 65 lakh towards interest on the principal amount at 18 percent per annum from January 2016 to June 2018 and another Rs 13.36 lakh approx from July 2018 to November 26, 2018.
