Thaindian News

Noida, March 31 (IANS) The Noida Police have issued a notice to noted Bollywood filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma on a complaint from Super Cassette Industries Pvt Ltd, the maker of T-Series brand of audio and video cassettes, alleging that Varma had cheated the company of Rs.15 million. The notice, posted by investigation officer Narendra Kumar Sharma, was sent on Saturday by registered post to Varma’s Mumbai address. The filmmaker has been asked to be present before the officer within seven days of receipt of the notice to give his version.

The criminal case was filed against the noted filmmaker at the Sector 20 police station of Noida by Neeraj Kalyan, an official of Super Cassette Industries.

In his complaint, Kalyan stated that Varma June 13, 2006 inked an agreement with the company selling the rights of his upcoming 14 films. The agreement was signed at the Film City Noida on a Rs.100 non-judicial stamp paper in which Varma clearly stated that all rights, including marketing, publicity and realization of outstanding money and even copyright of his new films have been given to Super Cassette Industries. He stated that the 14 films, including, “Nishabd”, “Aag” and “Darwaja Bund Rakho”, would be the sole proprietorship of Super Cassette.

After the agreement, the company invested Rs.14 million on a film produced by Varma, which incurred heavy losses. But in anticipation of recovering the loss in the other films, the company continued to invest in his new ventures. But Varma, breaching the contract, signed up with another company to realise the outstanding cash of his new ventures from the market. When Super Cassette came to know about his new assignment, Varma denied it and told the company that he would abide by the old agreement, Super Cassette official said in his complaint.

The company then issued public notices in newspapers saying that it holds all the rights of Varma’s new films. But the company learnt later that Varma had breached the contract and signed on ADLABS to realise all payments from the market, including the copyrights of the films after terminating the old agreement with Super Cassette.

The complainant said by signing the new contract, Varma has cheated the company and requested legal action against him. The Sector 20 police registered the complaint under various sections of the Indian Penal Code against Varma, a resident of Link House, Bir Desai Road, Andheri Road, Mumbai, and some others.

Varma could not be reached for comments despite several attempts to reach him on his mobile phone.