Filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi, known for directing acclaimed films such as Ghayal, Damini, and Andaz Apna Apna, has faced a major legal setback after the Jamnagar sessions court dismissed his appeal in a cheque-bouncing case. The ruling, delivered on Thursday, October 15, upheld an earlier order passed by the Special Negotiable Instruments Court in Jamnagar, which had convicted Santoshi for issuing cheques that were dishonoured.
Rajkumar Santoshi gets summoned on October 27 after Jamnagar Court dismisses his appeal in the Rs. 1 crore cheque bounce case
According to reports, the case stems from a loan of Rs. 1 crore that businessman Ashok Lal had allegedly lent to the filmmaker. To repay the borrowed amount, Santoshi issued post-dated cheques of Rs. 10 lakh each. However, when Lal presented the cheques for clearance, the bank reportedly returned them unpaid due to insufficient funds.
Following the dishonour of the cheques, Lal approached the Special Negotiable Instruments Court, which ruled in his favour. The court convicted Santoshi under provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act, ordering him to repay double the cheque amount and sentencing him to two years of imprisonment.
Challenging this order, Santoshi filed an appeal in the Jamnagar sessions court. However, after reviewing the evidence and the previous judgment, the sessions court dismissed his appeal and affirmed the lower court’s decision.
In its directive, the sessions court has now instructed Rajkumar Santoshi to appear before it by October 27. The order further states that an arrest warrant will be issued if the filmmaker fails to comply within the given timeframe.
The case adds to the list of legal troubles faced by Santoshi in recent years. The filmmaker, who has been a part of the Hindi film industry for over three decades, has yet to comment publicly on the court’s latest ruling. On the work front, Santoshi is currently completing work on Lahore 1947, produced by Aamir Khan, which also stars Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Sunny’s son Karan Deol, among others.
With the sessions court’s decision reinforcing the earlier conviction, Rajkumar Santoshi’s legal options now appear limited, unless he seeks relief from a higher court before the stipulated deadline.
Also Read: Producers put a ‘no-can-do’ clause in contracts regarding extra demands of stars: “If a star halts shoot to get a favourite ice-cream from the other end of town, he or she better pay for the ice-cream and the delay,” says Rajkumar Santoshi
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