Actor Soubin Shahir gets anticipatory bail in ‘Manjummel Boys' cheating case
Kochi: Actor Soubin Shahir, his father Babu Shahir and Shawn Antony, the producers of the hit Malayalam movie 'Manjummel Boys', have been granted anticipatory bail by high court in a financial cheating case related to the film's production.
The bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas on Thursday held that custodial interrogation of the petitioners was not necessary, noting that the case involved elements of a commercial dispute. However, HC granted limited custody of the petitioners to facilitate the investigation and directed them to appear before the investigating officer on July 7 and 8 for interrogation. The officer may interrogate them between 10am and 5pm, and in the event of arrest, they shall be released on bail, the court ordered.
The case stems from a complaint filed by Siraj Valiyathara of Aroor before the Ernakulam magistrate court, alleging that Parava Films LLP, owned by the accused, had solicited his investment for the production of 'Manjummel Boys'. As per an agreement dated Nov 30, 2022, he invested a total of Rs 7 crore through multiple transactions. Despite the commercial success of the film, the petitioners allegedly failed to honour the profit-sharing agreement.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Top Public Speaking Course for Children
Planet Spark
Book Now
Undo
According to the police report, although the film grossed Rs 286 crore, the accused failed to pay Siraj his rightful share of profits, amounting to Rs 40 crore.
While considering the anticipatory bail plea, HC observed that the relationship between the parties primarily falls within the realm of a business transaction and that the resulting dispute lies in the commercial sphere. However, since another single bench had already declined to quash the proceedings, the court noted that it cannot be treated as a purely commercial dispute and acknowledged that an element of criminality appears to exist.
Based on this, and after considering the need for custodial interrogation, the bench granted anticipatory bail to the petitioners.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
29 minutes ago
- News18
Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Sreeleela Pose Together For First Time Since Pushpa 2, Quash Rift Rumours
The actresses made a striking joint appearance at a recent event, where their warmth and elegance spoke louder than any rumours. Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Sreeleela have seemingly put to rest all speculation of tension between them following the Pushpa 2 dance song controversy. The actresses made a striking joint appearance at a recent event, where their warmth and elegance spoke louder than any rumours. In the photo that's now going viral, Samantha and Sreeleela can be seen exchanging smiles and holding hands, radiating camaraderie. Samantha, dressed in a black sheer gown with an intricate lace bodice and plunging neckline, looked glamorous and confident. Her hair was styled in soft waves, framing her face elegantly. Sreeleela, on the other hand, opted for a bold off-shoulder red gown that accentuated her silhouette. With her hair tied in a chic bun and minimal accessories, she exuded effortless grace. The two actresses were seen chatting and posing side-by-side, putting an end to months of conjecture. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Snehkumar Zala (@sneyhzala) The buzz around their alleged fallout began last year after reports emerged that Sreeleela had replaced Samantha in a special dance number for Pushpa 2. The new track, titled Kissik, drew inevitable comparisons to Samantha's blockbuster hit Oo Antava from Pushpa: The Rise. While Oo Antava became a cultural phenomenon, the reactions to Kissik were mixed, prompting further scrutiny. During a press conference, Sreeleela addressed the backlash and clarified her decision to be part of the film. 'The song itself will justify my choice. It's not your typical item song. There's a strong narrative reason behind it, which will become clear when the movie releases," she said. Rumours also swirled around pay disparities, with claims that Samantha received Rs 5 crore for her appearance in Oo Antava, while Sreeleela got Rs 2 crore. Laughing off the speculation, Sreeleela said, 'We haven't even discussed the remuneration with the producers yet." First Published: June 27, 2025, 01:39 IST
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
Vishnu Manchu says 'Kannappa' will not have an OTT release before 10 weeks of its theatrical run: 'I don't have any release pressure'
Vishnu Manchu's much-awaited mythological epic Kannappa is finally gearing up for its release in theatres today (June 27), and the actor has addressed queries about the film's OTT release following its theatrical run. During a recent pre-release event, Vishnu Manchu opened up about the film's digital plans. He clarified that the film would not make an early jump to streaming platforms. Vishnu Manchu about Kannappa's OTT release 'I have a very large freedom; my movie will not come to OTT before 10 weeks. That is the deal I have, and by God's grace, I don't have any release pressure. My only intention is to showcase the best to the audience,' he stated. Kannappa cast and crew Apart from Vishnu Manchu, the film boasts a star-studded line-up including Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, Arpit Ranka, Brahmanandam, Brahmaji, Siva Balaji, Kaushal Manda, Rahul Madhav, Devaraj, Mukesh Rishi, Raghu Babu, and Preity Mukhundhan. Kannappa - Official Hindi Trailer Kannappa also features cameos by Prabhas, Mohanlal, Akshay Kumar, and Kajal Aggarwal. Prabhas steps into the role of Rudra, while Akshay Kumar and Kajal Aggarwal portray Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, respectively. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Regensburg: GEERS sucht 700 Testhörer vor 1972 geboren GEERS Undo Mohanlal appears as a tribal warrior named Kirata. Helmed by director Mukesh Kumar Singh, the story and screenplay have been penned by Vishnu Manchu himself. The music for the film is composed by Stephen Devassy, while Sheldon Chau handles the cinematography. Kannappa movie early review The early reviews of the movie are out, and screenwriter Kona Venkat showered praise on the makers for their efforts. 'I too had the privilege and the opportunity to watch Kannappa, and I am truly impressed by the content! There are so, so many WOW moments in the second half. Especially the last half hour is truly captivating and mesmerising. The presence of #Prabhas made a huge impact in the movie. Every audience member would definitely talk about @iVishnuManchu's performance in the last 20 minutes. @themohanbabu garu's performance too will be talked about for many years. I really hope that Kannappa works big time at the box office and helps the industry during these tough times!' he wrote on his social media handle after watching the special screening.
Indian Express
38 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Mumbai unit of DRI nabs Surat man for evading import duty worth Rs 44 crore on walnuts imported from Chile
Officials of the Mumbai unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Wednesday arrested a Surat-based businessman for allegedly evading import duty worth Rs 44 crore by showing under-valuation of walnuts imported from Chile. The accused, Sneh Kakadiya, was taken to Mumbai on Thursday on a one-day transit remand. Sources said that following a tip-off, the DRI officials maintained a watch at Surat airport and arrested Sneh as soon as he arrived there. Sources said Sneh and his father are proprietors of different firms in Surat and Mumbai, and are involved in the import of inshell walnuts from Chile. A case against Sneh and his father Dipak Kakadiya was registered with the Mumbai unit of DRI. Sources said the accused had misdeclared the original value of goods, using manipulated invoices. They said the accused had routed the walnuts to the UAE from Chile. Once in the UAE, he allegedly presented lesser value of the goods in the invoices of the firm based in the Middle East nation. Later, the same goods were imported to India showing manipulated invoices, said the sources. During investigation, DRI officials found actual invoices issued by the Chile company, the sources added. Sources in DRI said the consignments were knowingly undervalued at a very low rate before the Customs. The goods, which, on an average, cost more than USD 2.7/Kg, were undervalued at a cost of around USD 1.50/Kg. This involved clearance of more than 3,610 Metric tonnes of inshell walnuts, thus evading a significant Customs Duty worth Rs 44 crore, said the sources. Inshell walnuts are those from which the outer covering has not been removed. During investigation, it was found that Sneh had committed cognizable and non-bailable offence under Section 135 (1) (a) and (b) of the Customs Act, 1962, punishable under section 135 (1) (a) (i) (A) and 135 (1) (b) (i) (A). He was produced before a court by DRI officials and was sent to transit remand for a day.
