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Tuesday, May 06, 2008
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National

Notice to Sridevi

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to actor Sridevi on a special leave petition from a Mumbai financier challenging a Bombay High Court order staying the proceedings initiated against her in three cheque bounce cases involving Rs. 9.70 crore. The notice is returnable in four weeks.

Senior counsel Harish Salve said if the High Court order was allowed, “Section 138 of the NI [Negotiable Instruments] Act will disappear from the statute. Except that she is a well-known actor, nothing was made out to stay the proceedings.”

When counsel insisted on a stay of the impugned order, a Bench, consisting of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice M.K. Sharma, issued notice on the application also.

Madhu Gupta, in her SLP, said she filed cases, under Section 138 of the NI Act, after the three cheques Ms. Sridevi gave her bounced.

Even as the magistrate issued process, the actor moved the High Court for quashing the proceedings.

‘Signature forged’

Ms. Sridevi contended that she had not issued the cheques and that her signature was forged.

Mrs. Gupta said the High Court ought to have directed the trial court to proceed with the three cases expeditiously.

If the respondent took the defence that she did not sign the cheques, then the trial court would deal with the matter in accordance with the law.

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