On Tuesday, Mumbai’s Andheri Magistrate Court convicted filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma to three months of simple imprisonment related to a cheque bounce case. The case, which originated seven years ago, also resulted in the issuance of a non-bailable warrant for the film director.
Ram Gopal Varma was found guilty under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, which pertains to cheque dishonor caused by insufficient funds or exceeding the account limit.
The court directed him to provide Rs 3.75 lakh in compensation to the complainant. If the sum is not settled within three months, Varma encounters another three months in prison.
In 2018, Shree company, represented by Maheshchandra Mishra, lodged a complaint against Ram Gopal Varma’s business. In 2022, the filmmaker received bail after providing a personal bond along with a Rs 5,000 security deposit.
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Significantly, the magistrate noted that RGV would not be entitled to a set-off under Section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure because he was not in custody during the trial.
Ram Gopal Varma’s reaction to the sentencing
The director was said to be missing during the hearing, and a detailed ruling is pending. However, he addressed the issue on X (formerly Twitter), saying: “Concerning the information regarding me and Andheri court, I wish to clarify that it pertains to a 7-year-old case involving an amount of Rs 2 lakh 38 thousand, associated with my former employee. My representatives are taking care of it. And because the issue is in litigation, I cannot provide any additional comments.”
