A Lokhandwal-based chartered accountant has filed a suit against filmmaker Mehul Kumar and his family alleging that the director dishonoured cheques worth Rs 2.5 lakh. Kumar is the director of films like Tiranga, Krantiveer, Kohram and the 1997 Amitabh Bachchan-starrer Mrityudaata.
The suit filed, by PP Jain and his wife Sarla under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, at the Andheri Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, states that he had lent a "friendly" loan of Rs 2.5 lakh to Kumar without any interest in 2003 against post-dated bank cheques drawn on Citibank and Union Bank of India.
However, none of the cheques signed by the director, his wife Roshan M Baloch and son Zoeb M Baloch were honoured, the suit alleges.
"We initially ignored the issue as we had a longstanding relationship with Kumar’s family. However, things started to turn sour after he started postponing the dates for depositing the cheque at one pretext or the other," Jain told Hindustan Times, adding that Kumar did not meet him when he approached the director’s office.
"He kept me waiting for hours together outside his office. Despite this, I gave him a chance to return my money by sending a notice warning him of legal action."
{{/usCountry}}"He kept me waiting for hours together outside his office. Despite this, I gave him a chance to return my money by sending a notice warning him of legal action."
{{/usCountry}}According to Jain, he opted for legal action after Kumar’s advocate in a reply to the notice said that the director had returned the money. "It (the reply) also alleged that I had misused the bank cheques."
Jain has filed a similar suit against Kumar’s son-in-law Asif Raza Khan. Despite repeated attempts by HT to reach him on his landline and mobile phone, there was no response from Kumar.
E-mail htmetro@hindustantimes.com