The ‘dubious’ businessman, Mr T.J. Nandakumar, who had become a target of the ruling United Democratic Front, has created another controversy by sponsoring the half marathon organised by the Kochi city police on Friday against drug abuse.

Mr Nandakumar had found himself in the bad books of the UDF after his meeting with the opposition leader, Mr V.S. Achuthanandan, at the Aluva palace.

The T-shirts which the police officers wore and distributed among the children who took part in the run had the emblem of the Thykkat Mahadeva Temple Vennala of which Mr Nandakumar is the trust chairman.

Office-bearers of the Kerala Police Association, however, said that the temple was only one of its sponsors.

“We received sponsorships from others including Jayalakshmi Textiles,” said an office-bearer. “There is nothing irregular in the deal.”

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau is now conducting a probe on the assets of Mr Nandakumar, a native of Vennala in Kochi, who is alleged to have acted as a middleman between some judges and clients.

Recently the temple he manages had been in the news after Mr Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) offered gold biscuits carrying the company logo to the temple.