HYDERABAD: In a significant development, a local court in the city on Tuesday sentenced former MP and veteran actor-producer Manchu Mohan Babu, currently a member of the YSR Congress party, to one-year imprisonment in a cheque bounce case.
Dealing with a case filed by Telugu film director YVS Chowdary in the year 2010, the 23rd Metropolitan Special Court at Erramanzil convicted and sentenced Mohan Babu and directed him to pay `40.75 lakh towards the defaulted amount. The court also found guilty his production house Lakshmi Prasanna Pictures and imposed on it a fine of Rs 10,000. Mohan Babu has decided to file an appeal before a higher court challenging the conviction.
According to the petitioner, the case was filed for non-payment of his remuneration for the film “Saleem” starring Mohan Babu’s son Manchu Vishnu, made in 2009. As per the agreement, the director was promised `1.55 crore to direct the film. After paying Rs 1.10 crore in installments, a cheque for Rs 40.75 lakh was issued towards the final installment.
Meanwhile, Mohan Babu, through a press release, denied the allegation made against him by Chowdary. He claimed that he had paid the full amount to the director. Later, a cheque for `40 lakh was issued for making another film under the same banner. The proposal was shelved due to the disappointing performance of “Saleem”. He was informed of the decision and was asked to not encash the cheque. However, director intentionally deposited cheque so that it could bounce.