HC directs actor Dhruva Sarja to deposit ₹3 crore in cheating case

The Bombay High Court ordered actor Dhruva Sarja to deposit ₹3 crore before considering his plea to quash an FIR for allegedly cheating a producer.

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Monday directed Kannada actor Dhruva Sarja to deposit ₹3 crore with its registry before it considers his plea to quash an FIR lodged against him for allegedly cheating film producer Raghvendra Hegde of over ₹9 crore.

HC directs actor Dhruva Sarja to deposit ₹3 crore in cheating case

Sarja, a popular Kannada film star and nephew of late actor Arjun Sarja, is accused of receiving a signing amount for a project titled The Soldier but failing to fulfil his commitment.

The FIR, registered on August 7, 2025, was based on Hegde’s complaint alleging criminal breach of trust, cheating and wrongful gain. Hegde, who owns RH Entertainment and R9 Entertainment, claimed that Sarja had approached him in 2018 to work on a film and was offered the script of The Soldier.

According to the complaint, an agreement was signed in September 2019 under which Sarja was to be paid ₹4 crore, of which ₹3.10 crore was allegedly handed over to him. Hegde alleged that Sarja never intended to work in the film and defrauded him, with the loss ballooning to over ₹9 crore after factoring in 18% annual interest from 2018. He further claimed Sarja stopped taking his calls and later said he could not work on the project.

Sarja, however, denied the allegations. In his petition, he said he was paid ₹5 lakh short of the agreed ₹3.15 crore advance and was promised the balance after shooting began. He maintained that he was ready to complete the film in 80 days and participate in promotions between January and June 2020, but the film was delayed because the producer never provided him with the final script. The agreement, he argued, lapsed with the passage of time.

Sarja’s plea described the FIR as an attempt “to arm-twist and extort money” by exploiting his reputation as a successful actor.

Earlier, Sarja was granted anticipatory bail by a Dindoshi court on July 30, later extended till August 18. After being formally informed about the FIR on August 12, he approached the high court on August 13 seeking quashing of the case and a stay on the probe.

Appearing for Sarja, senior advocate MS Shyamsundar Seni submitted that the actor never refused to work on the project and that it was Hegde who withdrew the story in 2023.

A division bench of justices Ajay Gadkari and Rajesh Patil ordered Sarja to deposit the ₹3 crore signing amount with the registry, making it clear that his plea will be taken up only after compliance.