Court sentences two after 10 yrs in cheque bounce case

Mumbai, Apr 30 (UNI) A lower court here sentenced two people, after 10 long years, to five-month imprisonment for issuing 10 bogus cheques amounting to nearly Rs 3.43 lakh to a city-based businessman.

Girgaum Metropolitan Magistrate M Z Zodge yesterday found Rajesh Tolia and Darshan Shah of Karrox Technologies Ltd guilty under section 255 (2) of Criminal Procedure Code, punishable under section 138 read with section 141 of the Negotiable Instrument Act and awarded the sentence. It imposed penalty running into thousands of rupees.

The court also directed them to surrender themselves within four days after passing of the order.

According to prosecution, Hiren Goradia, who holds the power-of-attorney of Lotus Computer Centre Pvt Ltd, had filed the case before the Girgaum Magistrate's Court, after 10 cheques, amounting to nearly Rs 3.43 lakh, issued by Tolia and Shah bounced one after another.

Karoxx had entered into an agreement with Lotus, owned by Hiren's father, way back in 1993, when they ran computer-training centre in a premise at Borivali in north Mumbai. The agreement, signed on May 15, 1993, however, was terminated on April 30, 1997. At that time, the dues from them were mounting, Mr Goradia stated in his complaint and pointed out that as on February 1998, the dues stood at nearly Rs 17 lakh, which was later settled for Rs 13 lakh.

When Mr Goradia deposited 10 cheques worth nearly Rs 3.73 lakh in the bank, all of them bounced in March 1998. Subsequently, four cases were filed in the Girgaum court by him, prosecution added.

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