Guwahati: A Mohali court on Wednesday sentenced four individuals, including sitting BJP MLA Ratu Techi from simple imprisonment in a cheque bounce case.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Abhay Rajan Shukla delivered the verdict after finding the accused guilty under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The convicted individuals, Ratu Techi, Tara Techi, Julli Techi, and PK Roy, must also pay a fine totaling Rs 5.55 crore.
Ratu Techi, who currently represents the Sagalee Assembly Constituency in Arunachal Pradesh’s Papum Pare district, won his seat unopposed in the 2024 state elections.
The court pronounced the sentence in the presence of all four accused. Kulwinder Singh Grewal, a designated partner at GTC-M-TRADEZ LLP in Morinda (Ropar district), initiated the legal proceedings through his advocate Tejwinder Singh Gill.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Grewal accused the four of defaulting on payments for construction materials supplied to M/s TK Engineering Construction Pvt Ltd, the company they were associated with.
According to the complaint, the accused issued post-dated cheques worth Rs 50 lakh each as payment for the materials. However, the cheques bounced on both February 25 and March 31, 2020, with banks citing “insufficient funds.”
Even after receiving a legal notice, the accused failed to clear the dues or offer a settlement, leading to the initiation of the criminal case.
During the trial, the defence requested leniency, pointing to the age of the accused and claiming they were first-time offenders. In contrast, the complainant’s lawyer argued for strict punishment, emphasizing the need to deter such financial misconduct.
While announcing the sentence, the judge noted that the accused had shown a clear disregard for legal obligations.
“Taking a lenient view would send the wrong message and encourage further violations in a society already struggling with legal compliance,” the court stated.
The court also stated that it would deduct any partial payments the accused made during the trial from the total compensation, provided the complainant received and acknowledged them.