Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, known for his iconic films such as Satya and Rangeela, has been sentenced to three months in jail by the Andheri Magistrate Court in a cheque bounce case. The court, which has been hearing the matter for seven years, delivered its verdict on Tuesday.
Varma was not present during the hearing, prompting the court to issue a standing non-bailable warrant (NBW) for his arrest. The case pertains to a cheque issued by Varma’s firm that was dishonored, an offense under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, which deals with cheque dishonor due to insufficient funds or amounts exceeding the agreed limit.
In addition to the jail term, Varma has been directed to pay Rs 3.72 lakh in compensation to the complainant within three months. Failure to do so will result in an additional three months of simple imprisonment.
Reacting to the verdict, Varma took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his perspective. “With regard to the news about me and Andheri court, I want to clarify that it is to do with a 7-year-old case of Rs 2 lakh 38 thousand amount, relating to my ex-employee. My advocates are attending to it, and since the matter is in court, I cannot say anything further,” he wrote.