Eminent Filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi Sentenced To 2 Years In Prison; Know Why

Mumbai: Filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi has been sentenced to 2 years in prison by a Jamnagar court in a cheque-bounce case.

Industrialist and shipping magnate Ashok Lal, the complainant, had reportedly given Rs 1 crore as loan to Santoshi for a film project. Lal claimed he had received 10 cheques of Rs 10 lakh each from Santoshi, but all those subsequently bounced.

Santoshi, whose upcoming directorial venture ‘Lahore 1947’ is backed by Aamir Khan Productions and features Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta in lead roles, has also been directed by the court to pay the industrialist Rs 2 crore — double the amount he owes the businessman.

The court has granted Santoshi a 30-day stay to appeal the order.

Piyush Bhojani, advocate for Lal, confirmed the sentencing to ANI on Saturday.

According to the advocate, Lal first tried to establish contact with the filmmaker after the cheques bounced.

Failing to get in touch with Santoshi, Lal filed a lawsuit under the Negotiable Instruments Act.

In his more than three decades of working as director in Hindi film industry, the 67-year-old Santoshi has delivered several box-office hits, including ‘Ghayal’, ‘Damini’ and ‘Ghatak’ – all featuring Sunny.

Among his other prominent films are ‘Lajja’, ‘The legend of Bhagat Singh’, ‘Hallo Bol’ and ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’.