Rajkumar Santoshi secures bail following cheque bounce conviction

The Jamnagar Court in Gujarat granted filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi bail within 24 hours after he was sentenced to two years in jail with a 2 crore fine in a cheque bounce case. The court allowed a 30-day stay on the order, providing Santoshi the opportunity to appeal the verdict in a higher court.

Santoshi's lawyer, Binesh Patel, confirmed the bail, citing the lack of documentary evidence from the prosecution to prove Santoshi's receipt of money. Patel emphasized that alterations occurred in the cheques, unknown to Santoshi, and asserted they would appeal at a higher forum based on the grounds of invalid and false claims.

The case originated when industrialist Ashok Lal claimed to have received ten cheques of 10 lakh each from Santoshi, totaling 1 crore, which subsequently bounced. Lal alleged that he contributed 1 crore to Santoshi's film and, when attempts to contact the filmmaker failed, filed a lawsuit under the Negotiable Instruments Act.

The court, during the hearing, sentenced Santoshi to two years in jail and ordered him to repay double the amount as a fine to Lal. Despite the legal challenges, Santoshi is gearing up for his next directorial venture, "Lahore 1947," featuring Sunny Deol in the lead role and produced under Aamir Khan Productions.