Hyderabad: The III Special Magistrate’s Court on Thursday sentenced A. Raghunathan, former CFO of Kingfisher Airlines, to 18 months imprisonment and also imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 in connection with two cheque bounce cases filed against him and Vijay Mallya, owner of the airlines, by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd.
The court had on April 20 convicted Mallya and Raghunathan in connection with the two cheque bounce cases involving Rs 50 lakh each, under relevant Sections of the Negotiable Instruments Act. However, the quantum of punishment was adjourned as the warrant issued against Mallya was pending.
GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, which operates the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport filed a petition with the court after two cheques issued by Kingfisher Airlines towards charges for using the facilities at the airport for Kingfisher Airlines flights, bounced.
During arguments, GHIAL counsel G. Ashok Reddy submitted that Raghunathan had finally appeared before the court after five months. He also informed that Mallya was absconding and was out of the country, and sought the court to proceed with sentence order against Raghunathan.
Raghunathan's counsel said that several warrants were issued by different courts and he was unable to appear before this court. He sought splitting of the case against Raghunathan.
He had appeared before other courts in the past few days in connection with NBWs issued against him after he had moved the High Court, and got the warrants recalled.
The court had earlier issued non-bailable warrants against Mallya and Raghunathan for dishonouring the cheques.
