'Once bitten, twice shy'. That seems to be the motto guiding the Bollywood Badshah, Shahrukh Khan, these days.

It seems that Shahrukh doesn't want to get entangled in yet another controversy after the recent embroil with the Shiv Sena over ‘My Name Is Khan'. Hence he has opted for a secure route by deciding to call off the Lux Cozi deal with his IPL Club, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Recently, it was reported that Shahrukh Khan had put on hold the sponsorship of Lux Cozi innerwear for his IPL team. One of the promoters of Lux Cozi, Ashok Todi, is in the dock on a charge of abetment of suicide of Rizwanur Rahman, a 30-year-old computer graphics teacher.

An open letter protesting the decision has been written to Shah Rukh Khan from the city's prominent social activist Mudar Patherya and wife Shalini objecting to the team's association with Todi. Read the text:

Dear Shah Rukh,

We are Kolkata-based supporters of Kolkata Knight Riders and have read in the newspapers of the decision of the Kolkata Knight Riders management to appoint LUX (hosiery and innerwear brand) as the official apparel franchisee of the KKR team.

This has been deeply disappointing for thousands of Kolkatans who have lost respect for you on this count for the following reasons:

One, the promoters of the LUX company were charged with abetting the suicide of Rizwan; the case is pending before the courts of law. Some family members were jailed, then released on bail. They have yet to be proved innocent.

Two, the decision of the KKR management to associate with LUX is being interpreted as a means of handing over respectability to the accused members of the Todi family in exchange for cash that benefits only KKR.

Three, it is one thing for you to endorse the LUX brand in your personal capacity; when you get the LUX brand to associate with a cricket team that draws its popular support from the broad population, then the sentiment of that broad population must be kept in mind.

Four, in today's governance-respecting world, would any self-respecting organisation associate with alleged murderers and then seek public support for their organisation?

For years, your brand stood for the following positive attributes: meritocracy, fairness, hard work and patriotism. We now see a dilution by your team's association with individuals viewed as morally suspect (until they are proved innocent).

Please reconsider this decision. There is still time.

Sincerely,

Mudar and Shalini Patherya
(activists who started the candlelight vigil in September 2007)

A well placed source from the industry says, "The deal is no more on hold. In clear words, it has been called off as Shahrukh didn't want his team Kolkata Knight Riders to get embroiled in further controversy as the IPL is just round the corner."