Lucknow: Renowned Bollywood director and screenwriter Ikram Akhtar, known for his work alongside superstars like Ajay Devgan and Salman Khan, has been incarcerated in Moradabad jail for more than two months in a cheque bounce case. Akhtar was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police in Mumbai on September 19, following his evasion of arrest since December 2022 when a warrant was issued against him.
A resident of Mumbai, Akhtar has been unable to find guarantors despite being granted bail by the court, which ordered him to provide two sureties of Rs 10 lakh each before he is released. Akhtar has screenwriting credits for blockbusters like Salman Khan starrer ‘Ready’, Ajay Devgn’s ‘Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha’, and the popular 1990s film ‘Chhotta Chetan’ among many others.
The director’s legal woes trace back to his involvement in the film ‘I Love Dubai,’ produced by Moradabad-based real estate baron Kuldeep Katyal. During the making of the film, disputes cropped up among the two, with Akhtar abandoning the project midway despite receiving payment. Katyal then filed a complaint against him in 2016.
In response, Akhtar held a press conference, alleging that the film’s completion was stalled due to a dispute between Katyal and the lead actress. This culminated in Akhtar’s arrest and incarceration in 2017, but he was soon granted bail by the court. Another arrest warrant was issued against him in December last year after he failed to appear for court hearings on many occasions.
Government counsel Vaibhav Agarwal shed light on Akhtar’s current situation. He said, “Ikram is incarcerated and the sessions court granted him bail on October 3, contingent on furnishing two sureties of Rs 10 lakh each. However, his legal team has sought relaxation, citing difficulties in finding guarantors with assets of such value. They have petitioned the court to reduce the surety amount, and it remains within the court’s purview to consider the application and take appropriate measures.”
