Parashurama Theme Park Corruption: Sculptor charged with cheating and breach of trust

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, June 23, 2024: Despite the government’s order for a CID probe into the alleged corruption surrounding the establishment of the Parashurama Theme Park and the installation of a 33ft statue of Parashurama at Umikkal Hill in Bailur, Karkala taluk, a cheating case has been registered against a sculptor at the Karkala Town police station.

The police stated that Krishna Naik of Krish Art World has been charged with cheating and criminal breach of trust, based on a complaint from Krishna Shetty, a resident of Nallur village in Karkala. According to the complaint, Krishna Naik received Rs 1.3 crore from Udupi Nirmithi Kendra to install a bronze statue of Parashurama at the theme park. However, he allegedly deceived the government by creating a duplicate statue instead of a bronze one. Consequently, a case under Section 420 (cheating) and Section 409 (criminal breach of trust) of the IPC has been registered against him.

The statue was unveiled by former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on January 27, 2023. Congress party members had called for an investigation, questioning the quality of the metal used for the statue and the type of land used for the theme park’s construction. As a result, the top part of the statue was removed.