JODHPUR, May 13: In a reprieve for actor Suniel Shetty, the Rajasthan High Court ordered an interim stay on further proceedings in a case of fraud against him in Udaipur.
The stay has been given by Justice B L Sharma of the Jodhpur Bench of the court for four weeks following the Shetty’s plea for quashing the FIR against him for allegedly cheating film producer Hemendra Singh Solanki of Rs 21 lakh.
“We had moved an application in the High Court under section 482 of CrPC seeking quashing of FIR against Shetty lodged at Hiran Magari police station in Udaipur on May 1,” his counsel Vandana Bhansali said.
“Hearing the application, Justice B L Sharma ordered an interim stay on any further proceedings in the case by police for four weeks and issued the notice to the respondent Solanki seeking reply as to why the FIR should not be quashed,” she said.
Udaipur-based Solanki had lodged a complaint against Shetty alleging that the star had cheated him of Rs 21 lakh.
According to his complaint, both had entered into an agreement for making a film “Mumbai Kiski Hai”.
Shetty had demanded Rs 71 lakh as his fee, which Solanki agreed and paid him a signing amount of Rs 21 lakh by cheque in July last year.
However, even after repeated requests, Shetty never turned up for a single shooting schedule nor did he give dates, Solanki complained.
Solanki said he had cast the female lead, engaged choreographers, singers and other co-stars who had provided dates and were waiting for the shooting to begin.
According to him, when he demanded the signing amount of Rs 21 lakh back, Shetty refused and threatened him following which, Solanki filed an FIR against the actor.
Police had registered a case against SHetty under sections 420, 506 and 120B of IPC and had started the investigation. (PTI)