Mysore(DH):The Lokayukta police has registered an FIR against Deputy director, ex-deputy director, engineers, artists accused following NRLCCP report here at Amba Vilas Palace, on Monday.

Reports said that FIR was filed following a complaint over substandard works in gold leafing works.

Deputy Director of Mysore Palace Board, T S Subramanya, former deputy director, P V Avaradi, C N Lakshmeesh, V Srinivas, C S Rajashekar Gowda, D R Muralidhar, Somashekar and Parashivamurthy, who had all served as engineers in various departments of the Board, gold-leafing craftsmen, Shezaad Khan and Raghupathy Bhat are the accused in the case.

This is following a report submitted by the Director of National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property (NRLCCP), Ministry of Culture, Lucknow, B V Kharbade, who opined that the gold leafing works were “sub-standard” and required “detailed investigation”.

Kharbade had visited the Palace earlier this year to examine the gold-leafing works, such as the quality of gold used for gold leafing, workmanship of the artist and others.

A complaint regarding irregularities in gold-leafing works was lodged with Lokayukta on May 21, 2013. According to the complaint, gold-leafing works were sanctioned to the Raghupathy Bhat, in an alleged violation of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement  Act 1999. Moreover, the cost of gold leafing works, which were done at Rs 55 lakh in 2011 and Rs 24 lakh in 2012, escalated to Rs 3.65 crore in the year 2013.