Cheque bounce case: Chennai court sentences actors Sarathkumar and Radhikaa to one-year imprisonment

CHENNAI: A special court for cases against MPs and MLAs in Chennai on Wednesday convicted actor couple R Sarathkumar and R Radhikaa Sarathkumar in two cheque bounce cases and sentenced them to one-year rigorous imprisonment.
The duo and another person have been directed to pay a total of Rs 3 crore as fine and Rs 28 lakh as compensation to the complainant - Radiance Media Private Limited.
This apart, the special court has also issued a non- bailable warrant against actor Radhikaa for failing to appear before the court while the verdict was passed.
The issue pertains to two complaints moved by advocate Abudu Kumar Rajarathnam on behalf of Radiance against Magic Frames, Sarathkumar, Radhikaa and Listin Stephen. The trio issued two cheques in favour of Radiance as security.
Subsequently, Sarathkumjar obtained another Rs 50 lakh from Radiance. In return, he had issued five cheques for Rs 10 lakh each. When the cheques were presented for realisation, they were dishonoured for want of funds.
Aggrieved, Radiance moved the magistrate court seeking action against the trio under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.
Challenging the criminal proceeding, Sarathkumar and Radhikaa moved the high court. In May 2019, the high court declined to quash the criminal proceedings. The court instead directed the magistrate to complete the trial within six months.
In the meantime, the case was transferred to the Special Court for MP/MLAs, Chennai, since Sarathkumar was a member of state legislature when the case was filed.
Concluding the hearing, special judge N Alicia found the trio guilty of the offence and sentenced them to one-year rigorous imprisonment.
As Sarathkumar moved an application to suspend his sentence to prefer an appeal against the order, the judge allowed the application with a rider to pay a surety for Rs 50 lakh.