Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma just caught a major break. He has been cleared in a 2018 check bounce case. A Mumbai court delivered the verdict, bringing a big sigh of relief for the famous director.
The matter was happily settled through a Lok Adalat. This special court helps people resolve disputes without a long trial. The agreement was made between Ram Gopal Varma and the company that filed the complaint. This company had first brought the check bounce issue against his firm back in 2018.
The Full Story Unfolds
Let’s rewind to the start of this legal drama. According to the complainant’s lawyer, Rajesh Kumar Patel, the company had supplied hard disks to Ram Gopal Varma’s company for many years. Specifically, they provided hard disks between February and March of 2018. Tax invoices for these goods amounted to 2,38,220 rupees.
The first hiccup happened on June 1, 2018. Ram Gopal Varma issued a check, but it bounced due to not enough money in the account. When the company learned this, they were given a second check for the exact same amount. However, that one also bounced because payment was stopped by the issuer. That’s when the company decided to take legal action.
A Twist in the Tale
Earlier, the case had a different outcome. On January 21, a judicial magistrate in Andheri found Ramu guilty. This was under the Negotiable Instruments Act. The magistrate ordered a three-month jail sentence for him. He was also told to pay 3,72,219 rupees to the complaining company within three months. Ram Gopal Varma wasn’t ready to accept this. He quickly filed a criminal appeal with the Sessions Court in Dindoshi.
The good news came just this month. Based on a memorandum of understanding, the Sessions Court found him innocent. This followed the agreement reached during the Lok Adalat. Since both the filmmaker and the complaining company told the court they had settled things amicably, the Sessions Court decided to close the appeal and clear the director.
What’s Next for Ramu?
With this legal hurdle behind him, Ram Gopal Varma is now busy with his next big project. He is creating buzz for his upcoming film, ‘Police Station Mein Bhoot’. Fans are extra excited because he’s teaming up with actor Manoj Bajpayee for this movie. It marks their reunion after a long 27 years!