Cheque bouncing case: Court declares Sonu Walia absconder

The public statement, a copy of which is with Newsline, was issued after Raychand Shah, one of the directors in a private money lending firm Shah Raichand Kantilal Finvest and Real Estate Private Limited at Sanatcruz, moved court stating that Walia has not returned the loan amount of Rs 2 lakh taken from his company and has not been attending hearings at the Bandra court. Subsequently, a non-bailable warrant was also issued against the former actress. Thus, the court found it appropriate to declare her an absconder.

According to the application, Shah had given out a loan of Rs 2 lakh to Walia on December 25, 2003. Walia had then promised to repay the loan and accordingly issued a cheque of Greater Bombay Cooperative Bank, Seven Bungalows branch, dated January 25, 2004, to Shah, which was not honoured by the bank.

When Walia did not return the money despite repeated requests and legal notices, Shah moved the court, under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. Then summons were issued to her, but she never turned up for the hearings. Warrants were issued against her and as a last resort, she was early this month declared an absconder, said Kantilal Shah, the complainant’s brother.