Renowned Film Director Jailed for Three Months

Mumbai (The Uttam Hindu): In a significant legal development, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has been sentenced to three months' imprisonment in connection with a cheque bouncing case that has been ongoing for seven years. The Mumbai court also directed the filmmaker to pay a compensation of ₹3.72 lakh to the complainant. The sentence was issued by the Andheri Magistrate Court on Tuesday, a day before the announcement of his upcoming film, *Syndicate*.

Varma, who was absent during the court proceedings faces charges under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, relating to the dishonor of a cheque. The magistrate noted that since Varma failed to appear for the verdict, a non-bailable warrant (NBW) was issued against him and his arrest would be carried out by the concerned police station.

The case dates back to 2018 when a company took legal action against Varma's firm for cheque dishonor. The filmmaker has been ordered to pay the compensation within three months, failing which he could face an additional three months of imprisonment. The court's decision has attracted significant attention as it comes just before Varma's new project release.