THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Mumbai court on Tuesday sentenced UDF MLA Mani C Kappan to one-year imprisonment in a cheque bounce case. The Borivali Magistrate Court also imposed on the Pala MLA a fine of Rs 5.30 crore, to be paid with interest within a month.
The verdict comes at a time when the UDF has been considering Kappan for key positions including cabinet posts. However, since the punishment is one-year imprisonment, Kappan will not be disqualified as MLA.
The court found Kappan guilty in four cases, including the one registered on the complaint filed by Mumbai-based Keralite businessman Dinesh Menon, accusing Kappan of siphoning off Rs 3.25 crore after promising to arrange shares of Kannur International Airport Ltd (KIAL).
Menon, a Palakkad native and the chairman and MD of Menen Aviation and Hospitality Ltd, alleged that Kappan, who was introduced to him by his friend and then senior government official Paul Joseph in 1996, had approached him with the offer to arrange the shares.
Following this, Menon, through his son, paid Kappan Rs 3.5 crore in 2012, by the shares were denied. Dinesh then asked Kappan to return the money. He initially agreed and handed over Rs 25 lakh.
Later, following a dispute, Menon approached the CBI, In 2013, Kappan gave him four cheques for a total of Rs 3.25 crore. When the cheques bounced, Menon approached the Borivali Metropolitan Magistrate Court.
Alleging a conspiracy, Mani C Kappan said he would appeal the verdict. He also said he did not owe money to anyone. “The verdict was given without hearing my side. The case was listed today for arguments and the verdict was announced in my absence,” the MLA told reporters.