Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has been sentenced to three months of simple imprisonment by Mumbai court. The case has been going on for seven years, and it is a financial dispute that dates back to 2018, when a company called Shree, represented by Maheshchandra Mishra, filed a complaint against Varma’s firm over a dishonored cheque. The court’s verdict adds another legal challenge to Varma’s professional life, which has already been marked by significant financial setbacks in recent years.
What is the case?
The Andheri Magistrate Court delivered its verdict on Tuesday, convicting the Varma under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, which penalizes cheque dishonor due to insufficient funds or exceeding the agreed amount. Varma’s failure to honor a cheque issued in 2018 led to the legal battle, which finally culminated in this verdict.
The court has also directed Varma to pay compensation of Rs 3.72 lakh to the complainant within three months. If he does not pay the compensation within the time period, the court has further ordered that he should undergo three months of simple imprisonment. In a related development, though the proceedings are quite long, Varma did not attend the hearing, and the court has issued a standing NBW against his arrest.
The legal cases have been dragging on for over seven years, and the case has been long. Varma’s legal battle intensified when he failed to appear in court, leading to the issuance of a non-bailable warrant. In 2022, Varma was granted bail when he furnished a personal recognizance bond and a cash security of Rs 5,000.
The court decision this week, however, marks a critical point in the long-drawn legal saga. Varma’s no-show for the hearing and the inordinate delay in the proceedings have seen the court issue a non-bailable warrant. This is coupled with the three-month imprisonment sentence, which is a serious development.
Varma addressed the issue on X after the court’s ruling to clarify the situation. In his statement, Varma said that the case was a seven-year-old financial dispute relating to a sum of Rs 2.38 lakh connected with an ex-employee. He assured that his legal team is actively handling the matter and did not say anything further because the issue is already in court.
Work Front
On the work front, Varma continues to stay busy with films. The director, who has given the industry notable films in the *Satya*, *Rangeela*, *Company*, and *Sarkar* segments, has recently completed his 2024 film Vyuham. The latter film is based on the untimely death of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy.
He recently announced his next project, a film called Syndicate, which promises to explore a “terrifying organization threatening the very existence of India.” According to Varma, the film will scare not because of supernatural phenomena but because it will be exposing the “horrors human beings can do.”