Tensions have escalated within the Indian Ocean rock band as former guitarist Susmit Sen lodged a police complaint in Delhi on August 16 against band members Rahul Ram and Amit Kilam. According to a report by India Today, Sen has accused them of criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, cheating, misappropriation of funds, falsification of accounts, money laundering, and embezzlement, among other serious charges.
In the complaint, Sen and Sunita Chakravarty, the wife of the late Indian Ocean co-founder Ashim Chakravarty, have also implicated Kandisa Music Productions Pvt Ltd, the company managing the band.
Susmit Sen expressed his distress in a statement: “Having co-founded the band with Ashim [Chakravarty], it brings me no satisfaction to take legal action against it today. In fact, it was my father [Ajit Kumar Sen] who named the band that Ashim and I formed in 1990, and I remain a shareholder in the company [Kandisa Music Productions Pvt Ltd] that manages the band. I personally selected the two members of the band against whom I now feel compelled to take legal action. What I’ve had to endure is deeply unfortunate, considering that Ashim and I founded the band, and I served as its composer and lead guitarist. Needless to say, I was an integral part of Indian Ocean.”
He added, “As mentioned in our police complaint, we believe they have engaged in criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, fraud against the Registrar of Companies (RoC), fraud against authorities, and other offences. I haven’t received any royalties since 2020. Additionally, I discovered that I was being underpaid for a few years after I left the band in 2013.”
In response, Amit Kilam denied that any complaint had been filed, emphasizing that it is an ‘internal matter’ they aim to resolve amicably, according to reports.
The underpaid dues are said to amount to more than Rs 50 lakh each.