Itanagar: A Mohali court has handed down a two-year imprisonment sentence to four individuals, including sitting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Arunachal Pradesh, Ratu Techi, in a cheque bounce case. Judicial Magistrate First Class Abhay Rajan Shukla delivered the verdict on Wednesday, finding them guilty under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.
The convicted, identified as Ratu Techi, Tara Techi, Julli Techi, and PK Roy, have also been slapped with a hefty fine of Rs 5.55 crore. Ratu Techi currently serves as the MLA for the Sagalee Assembly Constituency in Papum Pare district and previously held the position of Managing Director at TK Engineering Consortium Pvt Ltd.
The roots of this legal battle trace back to the COVID-19 pandemic era and are connected to highway projects undertaken in Assam by a counterpart firm of TK Engineering. The case was initiated by Kulwinder Singh Grewal, a designated partner at GTC-M-TRADEZ LLP, Morinda (district Ropar), through his legal counsel, Tejwinder Singh Gill. The complaint alleges that the accused procured construction materials from Grewal’s firm and issued post-dated cheques, each valued at Rs 50 lakh, as payment. These cheques were reportedly dishonoured twice in 2020 due to “insufficient funds.”
In the wake of the verdict, family members and associates of the MLA have vehemently termed it a consequence of business rivalry. Er Techi Totu, Ratu Techi’s brother, asserted that the case is a malicious attempt to tarnish the MLA’s reputation, stating that the matter remains subjudice and the family is prepared to present further evidence in court.
Sources closely associated with TK Engineering echoed these sentiments, claiming that Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were indeed signed and that disputes pertaining to interest calculations, along with allegedly fake bills and cheques, are being weaponised to target the legislator. The case has now ignited considerable political and legal friction in the state, with expectations that the matter will be rigorously contested in higher judicial forums.
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