Contractor Sentenced to One Year in Prison in Cheque Bounce Case

Contractor Sentenced to One Year in Prison in Cheque Bounce Case

SANGAMNER: The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Sangamner, Prasad B. Joshi, has sentenced a sugarcane cutting and transport contractor to one year of simple imprisonment in a cheque bounce case. The convict, Sanjay Malak Sagar, has also been ordered to pay ₹2 lakh in compensation to the complainant, Shri Gajanan Maharaj Sugar Ltd. (formerly U-Tek), located in Kouthe Malkapur.

The court ruled that the compensation must be paid with a 9% annual interest rate starting from September 2, 2026, until the full amount is recovered. Should Sagar fail to pay this penalty, he will face an additional two months in prison.

According to the case files, the sugar factory appointed Sagar as a contractor for the 2017-18 crushing season and issued an advance payment of ₹1 lakh. When Sagar failed to commence the agreed-upon work, the company demanded a refund. Sagar issued a cheque for ₹1 lakh, which subsequently bounced due to insufficient funds in his bank account. After Sagar ignored a legal notice that provided a strict deadline to clear his dues, the company filed a criminal lawsuit in the Sangamner court.

During the trial, Sagar defended himself by claiming the cheque was given merely as security and had been misused by the company. However, he was unable to produce any concrete evidence to support his defense. The court found him guilty based on documentary evidence, witness cross-examinations, and relevant legal provisions.

Advocate Pranav Gonge successfully argued the case on behalf of the sugar factory, receiving assistance from advocates Adv. Dhanshree Rathi, Adv. Parimal Bambere, and Adv. Chetan Lakhwani, Girish Sasane, Shiwali Suryawanshi