The Kerala High Court on Wednesday stayed till December 1 all further proceedings in a cheating case registered against Bollywood actor Sunny Leone for not appearing at a stage show in 2019 as promised by her.
Justice Ziyad Rahman A.A. passed the interim order on a petition seeking to quash the case pending before the Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, but also directed the public prosecutor to inform the court regarding the present status of the investigation.
The case was registered by the crime branch on a complaint filed by Shiyas Kunhumuhammed of Perumbavoor, the coordinator of her shows in the state. According to him, the actor had entered into a contract with him for performing at stage shows in the State and abroad and received ₹39 lakh. He alleged that Ms. Leone had committed a breach of contract by not appearing for the shows as promised. Nor she had returned the money, he alleged.
Besides Leone, her husband Daniel Weber and Sunil Rajani, Chief executive officer, of Suncity media entertainment, Mumbai are also accused in the case. They have been charged with offences under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating)of the Indian Penal Code(IPC).
The actor pointed out in her petition that in fact, she had agreed to perform at the show at a charge of ₹30 lakhs. However, she had been paid only ₹25 lakhs. Therefore, she refused to turn up at the show. The show coordinator had been given ample time to pay her the agreed amount for her performance. He had also kept changing the dates and venues of the show, causing her considerable financial losses.
The intention of the coordinator was to make her perform at the show without paying her the promised amount fully. She also contended that the FIR did not constitute the ingredients of the offences alleged against her. In fact, there was no cogent evidence against them.
