Veteran actress Jaya Prada sentenced to 6 months jail in old case

Prominent veteran actress and seasoned politician, Jaya Prada, renowned for her illustrious career spanning three decades with contributions to over 300 cinematic productions, was pronounced guilty by the Egmore Court in Chennai on Friday.

Consequently, she has been handed a six-month prison sentence. Furthermore, a fine of Rs 5000 has been decreed in relation to the case in which she faced allegations of failing to remit the Employee State Insurance (ESI) funds to the employees of her theatre.

This case also ensnared her business partners Ram Kumar and Raja Babu, who likewise have been adjudicated culpable in the same matter. The thespian's involvement in this predicament stemmed from her ownership of a theatre in Chennai, which ceased operations due to substantial financial losses. Subsequently, the theatre personnel filed grievances against Jaya Prada, accusing her of withholding the deducted ESI funds from their salaries. It was alleged that the ESI contributions were not remitted to the Government Insurance Corporation as mandated.

The ex-employees of the theatre, who were previously engaged in its operations, instigated legal proceedings against Jaya Prada, alleging her of non-payment of the ESI funds. The Labor Government Insurance Corporation pursued the case against Jaya Prada and her associates at the Egmore Magistrate Court in Chennai. Although the veteran actress purportedly admitted to the charges and expressed intentions to settle the longstanding dues, she simultaneously requested the dismissal of the case. Regrettably for her, the court rebuffed her plea, ultimately culminating in the imposition of both a fine and a prison term.

Jaya Prada's course is remarkable, having exited the film industry at the zenith of her cinematic journey to join politics. In 1994, she embraced the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and subsequently made her mark in politics. Her trajectory saw her ascend as a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament and later as a Lok Sabha MP. In 2019, she aligned herself with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), further underscoring her multifaceted career.