HC asks event management firm's counsel to discharge himself from case, which could lead to cancellation of proceedings issued against Priyanka Chopra by a Mumbai court for allegedly defrauding firm
The Bombay High Court yesterday raised actress Priyanka Chopra’s hopes of getting a cancellation of proceedings issued against her by an Andheri court for allegedly defrauding an event management company and her former secretary. It is likely to decide her plea for cancellation of the proceedings on August 22.
Actress Priyanka Chopra’s secretary and event managers had dragged her to court in 2004
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It had earlier granted an interim stay, but Chopra requested their cancellation.
The court was told by Rajendra Sorankar, the counsel of the event management firm, Akshay Management, yesterday that the company’s current location is not known. He said a letter sent to the firm had returned undelivered and he suspected that it had shifted offices. Justice AS Gadkari then asked Sorankar to discharge himself from his client’s service. In the absence of the complainant, the case may not hold much water.
The firm’s claim
Producer PG Shreekant of Akshay Management had registered a complaint against Chopra and her father in 2004, stating that the actress had signed a deal in 2001, making it her event managers. The firm claimed that it helped Chopra land 10 films, including her debut, for which she was collectively paid '1 crore. As per their agreement, she owed the company '11 lakh in commission, but she allegedly refused to make the payment. The actress has refuted this allegation. She also claimed that the '3 lakh advance from the company had been returned. On November 20, 2004, the Andheri court initiated proceedings against her, which she challenged in the HC.
Ex-secy cried foul
Meanwhile, Chopra’s former secretary, Prakash Jaju, too, approached the Andheri court, claiming that he had not been paid his 5 per cent commission. Jaju showed a work agreement in court, which Chopra claimed was fake. She said her signature had been forged and that the notice period was only two months, instead of six, as claimed by Jaju.
The next hearing is scheduled for August 22, where Chopra’s counsels Satish Mane shinde and Lakshmi Raman will present their final arguments.
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