Former film personality Pooja Bedi Ebrahim has filed a complaint with the Metropolitan Magistrate Court against the partners of a reputed chain of restaurants in Mumbai for allegedly duping her of Rs 11 lakh.
She has alleged that partners of a restaurant, Sudhir and wife Jyoti Chadda had requested her mother Protima Bedi to sell them a M F Husain painting, in 1997. Accordingly, the painting was sold to the Chaddas for Rs 11 lakh - payable in two instalments of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 6 lakh. Her complaint further stated that to discharge the above liability, the Chaddas issued two cheques, no 895953 and 895954, dated August 8, 1998, drawn on Punjab National Bank, Bandra (West), in the name of Protima. On August 18, 1998, Protima met with her tragic death.
However, when the cheque was deposited in Protima's Indian Overseas bank account (ISCKON Branch), it bounced due to "insufficient funds". When Pooja informed the Chaddas, they were willing to settle the dues by issuing cheques in her name and requested her not to file a complaint. A fresh cheque for Rs 50,000, no 987514 dated May 15, 2000, drawn on Punjab National Bank, Bandra (West), was issued to Pooja. She deposited the cheque on November 6, 2000, at Citibank, Andheri, but the bank told her that the cheque bounced, the next day. Pooja then decided to take the Chaddas to court.
Pooja's complaint also stated that a legal notice, under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instrument Act, dated November 18, 2000, was issued to the Chaddas asking them to repay the Rs 50,000 within a fortnight before the matter went to court, but Chaddas did not reply to it.
Sudhir told this correspondent, "The allegations made by Pooja Bedi are framed and totally baseless."He said that the allegations strengthened his belief that Pooja did not want to return his cheques. He said that the cheque had been issued for a publicity campaign, that was later shelved. When he asked Pooja to return them, she did not pay any heed and tried to harass him with the help of anti-social elements and government officials, Sudhir alleged. He denied having purchased any painting from Protima or her family members.
"I am really shocked to see Pooja stoop to such a level. I am glad that the matter has gone to court. I strongly believe in justice," he said. Pooja told this correspondent that Protima had personally handed over the two postdated cheques issued by the Chaddas to Pooja before her death. However, she could not recollect which painting had been sold.
About the publicity campaign mentioned by Chadda, she denied having done any publicity campaign after her marriage in 1994. "My lawyers will now deal in court," she said. Her advocate Dinesh Tiwari preferred to be tight-lipped on the issue. The matter will come up for hearing on February 23, in one of the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrates Court, sources said.
