Ram Gopal Varma gets 3 months jail in 7-yr-old cheque bounce case

Mr Varma’s absence during the hearing prompted the court to issue a standing non-bailable warrant (NBW) for his arrest.

Director Ram Gopal Varma known for his work on Satya has been sentenced to three months in jail by the Andheri Magistrate Court in a cheque bounce case that spanned seven years. His absence during the hearing led the court to issue a standing non-bailable warrant (NBW) for his arrest.

The court had initially scheduled the verdict for January 21, a day before Varma announced his upcoming film Syndicate. However, the filmmaker chose to skip the session.

As per reports, Varma was found guilty under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act which penalizes cheque dishonour due to insufficient funds or exceeding the arranged amount.

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The Andheri Magistrate Court also directed Ram Gopal Varma to pay Rs 3.75 lakh as compensation to the complainant. Failure to pay the amount within three months could result in an additional three-month prison term.

Filmmaker reacts

Reacting to the incident, Ram Gopal Varma stated on X, “Regarding the news about me and the Andheri court, I want to clarify that it pertains to a 7-year-old case involving Rs 2.38 lakh related to my ex-employee. My advocates are handling the matter, and since it is sub judice, I cannot comment further.”

Cheque bounce case details

The case was filed in 2018 by a company named Shree, represented by Mahesh Chandra Mishra, alleging that a cheque issued by Varma’s firm had bounced due to insufficient funds. In June 2022, Ram Gopal Varma was granted bail upon providing a Rs 5,000 security deposit and a personal bond.

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The magistrate clarified that there would be no “set-off under Section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure” as Varma was not in custody during the trial. After extensive legal proceedings and hearings, the court concluded there was enough evidence to substantiate the allegations against the filmmaker.

Who is Ram Gopal Varma?

Ram Gopal Varma born on April 7, 1962, is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer known for his work in Hindi and Telugu cinema. Renowned for his gritty realism and technical finesse, he has directed films across various genres, including parallel cinema and docudramas. Varma is considered a pioneer of new age Indian cinema and was featured in the BBC World series Bollywood Bosses in 2004.

He began his career as a civil engineer before making his mark with the crime thriller Siva (1989), which earned him several accolades, including Nandi Awards and a Filmfare Award. His subsequent films, such as Kshana Kshanam (1991) and Gaayam (1993), further established his reputation.

Ram Gopal Varma’s notable works include the Indian Political Trilogy and the Indian Gangster Trilogy, with the latter being hailed by critic Rajeev Masand as one of the “most influential movies of Indian cinema.”

Varma’s political crime drama Shool (1999) won him a National Film Award for Best Screenplay and was named “Best Cop Movie” of the 90s by India Today. His recent works include dramatized portrayals of significant events such as Rakta Charitra (2010) on Rayalaseema factionism, The Attacks of 26/11 (2013) on the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Killing Veerappan (2016) on Operation Cocoon, Vangaveeti (2016) on the Vijayawada riots, Lakshmi’s NTR (2019) on N. T. Rama Rao’s life, and Konda (2022) on Konda politics.

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