Raja Parija, a retired OAS, in a letter to additional divisional manager, East Coast Railway, alleged unauthorised lifting of photographs from his book and displaying them in the Netaji Gallery of Cuttack railway station. “Most of the photographs in the gallery have been taken page-wise from my book along with the captions without taking prior permission or giving credit,” he wrote.

Claiming to be an independent researcher, he further said that the alleged use of materials from his book without giving photo credit is a ‘serious offence’ which is punishable under the provisions of the Copyright Act, 1975. “It seems your organisation probably understand only the language of the court,” he warned, plausibly unhappy with ECoR not having responded to a communication sent 2 months ago.

On June 29, Parija had sought ‘compensation’ for taking the photographs from his book, photo credit to him an a letter acknowledgment for using them.

While threatening the railway authorities of legal action if he did not receive a quick response within a month, he appreciated the move to set up the gallery. “It is indeed a very good initiative taken by the railway authorities in the name of India’s greatest hero, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose whose birthplace is in Cuttack.”

Sources in ECoR told the media that the allegations are being looked into.