Veteran actress and former politician, Jayaprada, has received a significant setback from the Egmore Court in Chennai. The renowned star has been handed a 6-month jail sentence and a fine of Rs 5,000 in connection with a case dating back several years. Joining Jayaprada in the ruling, her business associates, Ram Kumar and Raja Babu, have also been sentenced to 6 months in prison, along with a Rs 5,000 fine.
Delving into the specifics, Jayaprada and her business partners were proprietors of a cinema in Rayapeta, Chennai. However, the cinema had ceased operations a few years ago due to financial losses. Unfortunately, they neglected to reimburse the Employee State Insurance (ESI) funds that had been deducted from the wages of the cinema’s staff. Subsequently, the staff members took legal action in the Egmore Court against Jayaprada, her business partners, and even the State Insurance Corporation for the outstanding ESI payments.
As a response, the Labor Government Insurance Corporation filed a lawsuit against Jayaprada, Ram Kumar, and Raja Babu at the Egmore Magistrate Court in Chennai, culminating in their sentencing. Although Jayaprada presented her commitment to settle all dues owed to the cinema staff and appealed for the case’s dismissal, the court rejected her plea. Consequently, she has been sentenced to six months in jail and fined Rs 5,000.