Veteran actress and fmr MP, Jaya Prada, sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment

Chennai court rules against Jaya Prada for failure to pay ESI money to theatre workers

In a significant development, veteran actress and former Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP), Jaya Prada has been sentenced to six-months in prison and imposed a fine of Rs 5000 in connection to a case involving allegations of non-payment of Employee State Insurance (ESI) money to workers of a theatre she owned. The prison term was handed over to the Tohfa actor by a Chennai court on Friday.

The case revolved around a theatre owned by Jaya Prada in Chennai, which eventually ceased its operations. Subsequently, theatre employees filed complaints against her, alleging that she had failed to remit the deducted ESI money from their salaries to the Government Insurance Corporation.

According to reports, the Labour Government Insurance Corporation took legal action against Jaya Prada and her business partners Ram Kumar and Raja Babu at the Egmore Magistrate Court in Chennai.

Sources indicate that Jaya Prada acknowledged the charges and expressed her intention to settle the pending dues. She also sought the dismissal of the case. Despite her appeals, the court declined her request and, instead, ruled in favour of the prosecution. The court’s decision culminated in the imposition of a monetary fine and a six-month prison term.

Jaya Prada, renowned for her impactful roles in Hindi and Telugu films during the late ’70s, ’80s, and early ’90s, remains an influential figure in both industries. Her journey from South Indian cinema to Bollywood commenced with the film “Sargam” in 1979, catapulting her to stardom. Her cinematic legacy includes memorable performances in movies like “Kaamchor” (1982), “Tohfa” (1984), “Sharaabi” (1984), “Maqsad” (1984), “Sanjog” (1985), “Aakhree Raasta” (1986), “Elaan-E-Jung” (1989), “Aaj Ka Arjun” (1990), “Thanedaar” (1990), “Maa” (1991), and numerous Telugu films.

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