Veteran actor Dilip Kumar was acquitted by the court of Additional Metropolitan Magistrate BS Karhade, Mumbai in a cheque bounce case that dates back to 1998. He was one of the directors of a company called GK Exim India Limited, of which two cheques worth Rs 1 crore bounced. The case was registered under Section 141 of Negotiable Instrument Act on the complaint of Smita Shroff.
None of the parties or their advocates was present in the court.
Another accused Vimal Kumar Rathi was also acquitted in the case while two others: S Sethuraman, Gopal Krishan Patil were found guilty.
The complainant failed to prove that the particular directors were responsible for managing daily affairs of the company like issuing cheques etc.
Acquitting the actor, the court said that he was only honorary director.
Dilip Kumar who has been conferred with Padmavibhushan, was also exempted from personally appearing in the court during the proceedings.
The company, GK Exim was into export and has raised several crores from various lenders across the country. The company had issued cheques to repay its lenders but around 1998, it started defaulting in its payments following which cases were filed against all the officials of the company.
Dilip Kumar managed to get relief in all other cases since he was only the honorary chairman and had nothing to do with the routine affairs of the company.
Former petroleum secretary HA Khan was also a director in the company.
Saira Banu, wife of the seasoned actor who ruled the Hindi film industry in the 60s tweeted yesterday, asking fans to pray for “Dilip Saab” as he is fondly called, to get relief in the case.