Express News Service
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed noted veteran film actress and former MP Jayapradha to deposit Rs 20 lakh and approach the principal sessions court in Chennai over the suspension of a sentence of six months imprisonment and bail obtainment. It is related to the non-payment of Employees State Insurance (ESI) funds for the workers employed at a cinema theatre she owned in the city.
Pronouncing orders on her appeal against the principal sessions court’s refusal to suspend the prison sentence for her and two co-accused in the ESI contribution default case, Justice G Jayachandran directed the petitioners to surrender before the principal sessions court and seek a suspension of the sentence.
“The application for the suspension of sentence shall be considered only with the deposit of Rs 20 lakh jointly or severally in the account of the appeal within fifteen days,” the judge said in the order.
The judge also directed the appellate court to entertain the application for bail and suspension of the prison sentence only if the Rs 20 lakh deposit was paid and the accused petitioner physically appeared before the court.
Actress Jayapradha, along with Ram Kumar and Raja Babu, who were her partners in Jayapradha Cine Theatre, were convicted and given six months imprisonment and were asked to pay Rs 5,000 each by the trial court, which heard a batch of petitions filed by employees of her theatre over non-payment of the ESI premium amount.
The principal employer has to pay the amount towards the employer’s and employee’s share of contribution and is entitled to recover the employees’ share of contribution from their wages.
The management of the now-defunct cinema hall had reportedly deducted the ESI contribution amount from the salaries of the employees but had not been paying it to the state insurance corporation. They had allegedly failed to pay Rs 52,982 for the period April 1, 2003 to September 31, 2003.
On the basis of the workers’ complaint that the money was not paid, the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) had moved the Egmore court in 2004.
Jayapradha’s application for suspension of sentence was dismissed by the principal sessions court.
When the actress’ appeal came up for hearing recently, senior counsel Abdul Hameed, representing her, said that the ESI contribution amount was paid during the pendency of the prosecution but that the court, without considering it, had imposed the sentence and directed her to pay the said amount.
The Madras High Court’s order is considered to be a big relief for Jayapradha, who was, otherwise, facing arrest and detention.
(With online desk inputs) Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed noted veteran film actress and former MP Jayapradha to deposit Rs 20 lakh and approach the principal sessions court in Chennai over the suspension of a sentence of six months imprisonment and bail obtainment. It is related to the non-payment of Employees State Insurance (ESI) funds for the workers employed at a cinema theatre she owned in the city.
Pronouncing orders on her appeal against the principal sessions court’s refusal to suspend the prison sentence for her and two co-accused in the ESI contribution default case, Justice G Jayachandran directed the petitioners to surrender before the principal sessions court and seek a suspension of the sentence.
“The application for the suspension of sentence shall be considered only with the deposit of Rs 20 lakh jointly or severally in the account of the appeal within fifteen days,” the judge said in the order.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });
The judge also directed the appellate court to entertain the application for bail and suspension of the prison sentence only if the Rs 20 lakh deposit was paid and the accused petitioner physically appeared before the court.
Actress Jayapradha, along with Ram Kumar and Raja Babu, who were her partners in Jayapradha Cine Theatre, were convicted and given six months imprisonment and were asked to pay Rs 5,000 each by the trial court, which heard a batch of petitions filed by employees of her theatre over non-payment of the ESI premium amount.
The principal employer has to pay the amount towards the employer’s and employee’s share of contribution and is entitled to recover the employees’ share of contribution from their wages.
The management of the now-defunct cinema hall had reportedly deducted the ESI contribution amount from the salaries of the employees but had not been paying it to the state insurance corporation. They had allegedly failed to pay Rs 52,982 for the period April 1, 2003 to September 31, 2003.
On the basis of the workers’ complaint that the money was not paid, the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) had moved the Egmore court in 2004.
Jayapradha’s application for suspension of sentence was dismissed by the principal sessions court.
When the actress’ appeal came up for hearing recently, senior counsel Abdul Hameed, representing her, said that the ESI contribution amount was paid during the pendency of the prosecution but that the court, without considering it, had imposed the sentence and directed her to pay the said amount.
The Madras High Court’s order is considered to be a big relief for Jayapradha, who was, otherwise, facing arrest and detention.
(With online desk inputs) Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
