Gujarat High Court grants ad-interim bail to film director Rajkumar Santoshi in cheque bounce case

Popular Hindi film director Rajkumar Santoshi was granted ad-interim bail by the Gujarat High Court in a case related to cheque bounce. He was sentenced to one year in jail by a court in Rajkot in 2022.

Justice M R Mendey of Gujarat HC noted that Santoshi had already paid ₹37.5 lakh to the complainant, transferred ₹6 lakh in the sessions court, and is ready to pay the remaining ₹16.5 lakh.

The complainant alleged that he had lent ₹20 lakh to film producer Santoshi in 2010 and was owed a total of ₹60 lakh with interest.

In this case filed under the Negotiable Instruments (NI) Act, the local Metropolitan Court sentenced film producer Santoshi to one-year imprisonment and a fine of ₹22.5 lakh.

Producer Santoshi filed an appeal in the Rajkot Sessions Court, which upheld the sentence and dismissed his appeal, issuing a warrant for his arrest.

Santoshi then filed a revision petition in the high court claiming that there was an irregularity in the complainant’s allegations.

The director informed the court that he has already paid ₹37.5 lakh to the complainant, paid ₹6 lakh to the Rajkot court, and is ready to pay the remaining ₹16.5 lakh.

The Gujarat HC granted him ad-interim bail with the condition to deposit ₹16.5 lakh in the registry within one week.

The next hearing regarding the warrant stay has been scheduled for February 13, 2025.

Santoshi’s celebrated works include Andaz Apna Apna, Ghatak: Lethal, Ghayal, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, Khakee and The Legend of Bhagat Singh.

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