Koena
Mitra
claims
she
was
just
doing
a
favour
being
the
face
of
Jharkhand.
Koena
Mitra,
who
had
been
promoting
Jharkhand
as
an
investment
destination
for
Non-Resident
Indians
(NRI),
has
landed
herself
in
a
controversy.
It
is
now
alleged
that
disgraced
former
Jharkhand
Chief
Minister
Madhu
Koda
-
who
has
grabbed
national
headlines
and
faces
arrest
on
charges
of
laundering
Rs
2,500
crore
-
had
paid
the
actress
Rs
50
lakh
to
be
the
face
of
the
state.
Koena
claims
that
she
did
it
as
a
favour.
"I
did
it
without
charging
any
fee.
As
a
token
gesture
however
they
gave
me
Rs
3
lakh
followed
by
another
Rs
11,000
besides
a
shawl,
chocolates
and
flowers.
I
also
got
first-class
treatment
from
them.
But
I
haven't
got
any
Rs
50
lakh
from
him."
Adds
the
actress,
"They
asked
me
to
promote
Jharkhand
because
I
am
from
West
Bengal
and
speak
Bengali
fluently.
I
spoke
on
Jharkhand
as
a
goodwill
gesture.
I
am
not
the
face
or
brand
ambassador
of
the
state.
They
had
invited
me
to
speak
through
friends."
The
Bong
bombshell
says,
"Being
the
face
of
the
government
is
not
a
small
matter.
Everything
is
done
officially
through
paperwork
and
if
any
payment
is
made,
it
has
to
be
through
cheque.
But
I
have
neither." She
adds,
"Madhu
Koda
introduced
me
to
the
media
as
a
daughter
of
Bengal.
But
because
of
all
that
they
shouldn't
take
for
granted
that
I
am
the
face
of
Jharkhand."
Earlier
this
year
in
January,
Koena
had
stated,
"I
request
investors
to
come
to
Jharkhand
and
get
a
feel
of
its
potential.
I
am
happy
that
I
have
been
asked
to
promote
the
state
as
an
investment
destination.
I
have
strong
ties
with
the
state,
as
I
am
a
Bengali
from
Kolkata,
which
is
barely
500
kilometres
from
Jharkhand."
However
today
the
item
girl
chooses
to
wash
her
hands
of
the
matter.
"There
were
two
conferences
I
attended
-
one
in
Delhi
and
one
around
Bhubaneshwar
-
and
both
were
in
front
of
the
media.
They
were
not
private
functions.
They
wanted
foreigners
to
come
to
Jharkand
as
it
had
lots
of
potential.
It
was
image
building
for
the
state.
I
merely
went
and
spoke
a
few
words
and
that
was
it."