Actress and Cine and TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA) president Poonam Dhillon has categorically denied allegations of financial misconduct involving the association's fixed deposits (FDs) worth approximately ₹90 lakh, hitting back at accusations levelled by former office-bearers Upasana Singh and Nagma. The dispute, centred on CINTAA's management and funds, has sharpened into one of the most public internal conflicts the entertainment industry body has seen in recent years.

What Poonam Dhillon Said

Responding directly to the allegations, Dhillon maintained that every rupee spent by the association is fully accounted for and that financial records are made available to all members of the executive committee on a monthly basis.

'It is not like Poonam Dhillon, Padmini Kolhapuri or anyone else has taken a single rupee from the CINTAA account. All the money that has been spent is accountable. Every penny is accountable. And we give those accounts every month,' she said.

She added that the accounts, including those for September, are regularly presented and displayed on the association's official website, accessible to any member. 'No one has hidden anything. The accounts are always given to every member of the EC. It is kept on our website. And anyone can see it,' Dhillon said.

On Bank Accounts Being Frozen

Dhillon also acknowledged that CINTAA's bank accounts had been frozen, an action she characterised as a deliberate attempt to obstruct the current committee's functioning. 'They thought they would close all our funds and make it difficult for us since our committee was working on something,' she said, without elaborating on who 'they' referred to.

She stressed that the freezing of accounts severely affected the association's administrative and welfare activities, leaving it unable to operate normally during the period in question.

Poonam's Defence of Constitutional Process

Addressing questions about constitutional amendments and the association's decision-making, Dhillon pointed to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) process as the legitimate authority for such changes. She noted that any amendment to CINTAA's constitution must be passed as a resolution at the AGM, submitted to the Registrar of Labour, and stamped before it can take effect.

Notably, she stated that the particular decision in question was taken at the 2025 AGM — and that Upasana Singh herself, then serving as CINTAA secretary, was present and announced it. 'She was the one who stood up and announced it,' Dhillon said.

The Allegations Against Dhillon and Kolhapure

The row erupted after Upasana Singh alleged that Dhillon and actress Padmini Kolhapure broke the association's fixed deposits and transferred funds from an account that was supposed to remain frozen pending a court order recognising a new committee. Singh had claimed that CINTAA's bank accounts across five banks were frozen following the dissolution of the previous committee, and that an account was subsequently opened to transfer the ₹90 lakh from those FDs. Nagma echoed similar concerns, adding political weight to the accusations.

What Happens Next

The dispute remains unresolved, with competing versions of events and the matter appearing to have a judicial dimension given the references to court orders and the labour registrar. Industry observers note that CINTAA, which represents thousands of film and television artists, has historically been prone to factional disputes — but public allegations of this scale and financial specificity are rare. How the registrar and, if necessary, the courts weigh Dhillon's transparency claims against Singh's allegations of fund diversion will likely determine the association's next chapter.