The case regarding the relieving of the Executive Director (ED) of the Film Association of Bhutan (FAB) and missing equipment, gifted by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), was withdrawn from the Thimphu District Court recently. The ED was relieved when he was about to file a case on the missing KOICA equipment last year.
According to sources, an ad-hoc meeting was convened in mid of March. Both the defendant (FAB) and the plaintiff (ED) decided to withdraw the case. The plaintiff was also reinstated as the ED. Going by the minutes of the meeting, it was also said that he can serve as the Executive Director until the appointment of a new board.
According to the judgement, the present ED asked the court to withdraw the case after both the plaintiff and the defendant agreed to withdraw the case.
However, as per sources, the missing KOICA equipment issue will be filed as a separate criminal case.
Last year, BBS learnt that the Ministry of Information and Communications (MOIC) in collaboration with KOICA had granted USD 180,000 (Nu 9.9 M) in 2012 to FAB for the purchase of filming equipment. In 2015, another financial grant worth over USD 110,000 (Nu 6.9 M) was also given for the purchase of film screening equipment.
Kinley Dem/Tshering Zam
