The Swarup Group of Industries has been selected as the sponsor for the golden jubilee Filmfare Awards this year. The group is owned by Guru Swarup Srivastava, who shot into the limelight with his Rs 100 crore deal to buy a number of Maqbool Fida Husain's paintings.

Bennett Coleman and Company, owners of Filmfare magazine, had decided to discontinue the sponsorship of Dhariwal Industries for the annual awards this year after Interpol issued Red Corner notices to Rasiklal Manikchand Dhariwal, owner of Manikchand brand gutkha, for his alleged links with the underworld. Dhariwal is wanted by the Mumbai [Images] police and a local court has issued non-bailable warrant against him.

"We are happy to associate with Srivastava, an art connoisseur and owner of the Our Planet Called Earth series. The series symbolises existing grim global environment conditions, showcasing the slow ecological degradation and abuse of earth," a spokesperson for Times Infotainment Media said.

Serigraphy prints of M F Husain's [Images] series bought by Srivastava would be exhibited at the awards function.