Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, known for his controversial statements and unique cinematic style, has been sentenced to three months of jail time by a Mumbai court in connection with a cheque bounce case filed in 2018. The case was initiated by a company named Shree, and the legal battle has been ongoing for the past seven years.
According to a reports, the Mumbai court found Ram Gopal Varma guilty under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. This section penalizes the dishonoring of cheques due to insufficient funds or exceeding the account’s arranged amount. The court also issued a non-bailable warrant against the filmmaker and directed him to pay compensation of Rs 3.72 lakh to the complainant within three months. Failure to do so will result in an additional simple imprisonment of three months.
The judgement noted that there was “no question of set-off under Section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, as the accused had not spent any period in custody during the trial.”
The case traces back to 2018 when Shree, represented by Mahesh Chandra Mishra, initiated legal action against Varma over a bounced cheque. The issue stemmed from an agreement involving financial transactions that remained unresolved. In June 2022, Varma was granted bail after submitting a personal bond and a ₹5000 security deposit.
Magistrate YP Pujari, who presided over the case, delivered the verdict on Tuesday, marking the end of a lengthy legal battle. The court’s observations, including its reasoning for the decision, are expected to be detailed in the finalized judgement.