In a significant development, the Gujarat High Court has granted film director Rajkumar Santoshi permission to travel abroad for the promotion of his upcoming period drama, Lahore 1947. The court's decision comes despite Santoshi's ongoing legal battle in a cheque return dispute, for which he was previously sentenced to two years in prison.
Court's Conditional Permission for Overseas Travel
The High Court bench, led by Justice P M Raval, approved Santoshi's application to travel to Dubai. The director had submitted his travel itinerary, showing his planned departure from India on Tuesday and his scheduled return just before midnight on January 4, 2026. The court has specifically allowed him to be abroad from December 30 until January 5, 2026.
The permission is directly tied to promotional work for Lahre 1947, a film produced by Aamir Khan Productions. This condition was part of the bail terms set by the High Court on October 30, when it suspended his two-year sentence and granted regular bail, mandating court approval for any foreign travel.
Background of the Cheque Return Case
The legal troubles for Santoshi stem from a financial dispute. A magisterial court in Jamnagar had convicted and sentenced him to two years of imprisonment in a total of 11 separate cheque return cases. Each case involved a bounced cheque worth Rs 10 lakh, amounting to a total liability of Rs 1.10 crore.
His conviction was later confirmed by a sessions court. Following the High Court's bail order, one of the key conditions was the settlement of the disputed amount. Santoshi has already deposited Rs 75 lakh with the court.
Deadline for Depositing Remaining Amount
In a separate application, Santoshi had requested an additional eight weeks to deposit the remaining Rs 35 lakh. The complainant's advocate opposed both this plea and the request for foreign travel.
However, Justice Raval noted that since a substantial portion of the money had already been deposited, it served the interest of justice to temporarily suspend the travel restriction. The court has now directed Santoshi to deposit the outstanding Rs 35 lakh by the end of January 2025, granting him a month's time instead of the sought eight weeks.
The court's order emphasized that the temporary relief was being granted in light of the significant sum already paid and the specific professional commitment related to the film's promotion. This ruling allows the filmmaker to fulfill his professional obligations while the legal process regarding the financial dispute continues.
