RANCHI: Actor Amisha Patel has finally agreed to return Rs 2.75 crore to Ranchi-based businessman Ajay Kumar Singh during the National Lok Adalat held at the Ranchi Civil Court on Saturday. Patel is accused of duping Ajay Kumar Singh of Rs 2.5 crore in the name of making the film ‘Desi Magic’.
This agreement concludes a cheque bounce dispute that has lingered for six years. The case was finally settled under the oversight of High Court Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad, with both the parties participating via video conferencing. As part of the settlement, Patel has committed to pay Rs 20 lakh through RTGS by Monday. According to the settlement reached by both the parties, the remaining amount will be paid in five installments by July 31. Failure to meet this deadline could result in the reopening of the case and potential revocation of Patel’s bail.
“Amisha Patel had offered to pay Rs 2.75 lakh against Rs 3 crore. She has already paid Rs 11 lakh, while the remaining Rs 2.64 crore will be paid in five separate installments. Initially she has paid a cheque of Rs 20 lakh which will be cleared on Monday either through clearing of the cheque or through RTGS. The remaining four other installments will be made through post dated cheques of Rs 50 lakh, Rs 70 lakh and two cheques of Rs 62 lakh each,” said the petitioner’s advocate Vijay Laxmi Srivastava. All the installments have to be paid by July 31 after which the case will be disposed of, she added.
Lovely World Entertainment proprietor Ajay Kumar Singh had filed a case against Patel, saying that she took Rs 3 crore from him in the name of helping him in the production of ‘Desi Magic’, but never worked for the film. When Singh mounted pressure on her to return money, she issued a cheque, which was dishonoured by the bank. According to Singh, he came in contact with Patel in 2017.
In August 2022, the Supreme Court had paused criminal proceedings against Patel for alleged cheating and criminal breach of trust, following a summons by a Ranchi court. Nonetheless, it clarified that legal action related to the cheque bounce under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act could proceed as per the law.
This recent adjudication at the National Lok Adalat marks a significant step towards resolving the protracted legal battle.