Arunachal BJP MLA among four jailed for 2 years in cheque bounce case

A Mohali court has sentenced four individuals, including sitting BJP MLA from Arunachal Pradesh Ratu Techi, to two years of imprisonment in a cheque bounce case under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. Judicial Magistrate First Class Abhay Rajan Shukla delivered the verdict on Wednesday.

The convicted individuals, identified as Ratu Techi, Tara Techi, Julli Techi, and PK Roy, have also been directed to pay a fine of Rs 5.55 crore. Ratu Techi currently represents the Sagalee Assembly Constituency in Papum Pare district and was previously the Managing Director of TK Engineering Consortium Pvt Ltd.

The case, dating back to the COVID-19 pandemic period, is linked to the construction of highway projects in Assam by the counterpart firm of TK Engineering. The case was filed by Kulwinder Singh Grewal, a designated partner at GTC-M-TRADEZ LLP, Morinda (district Ropar), through his counsel Tejwinder Singh Gill. According to the complaint, the accused had procured construction materials from the firm and issued post-dated cheques of Rs 50 lakh each as payment. The cheques were reportedly dishonoured twice in 2020 due to “insufficient funds.”

Responding to the verdict, family members and associates of the MLA have called it a fallout of business rivalry. Er Techi Totu, the brother of Ratu Techi, maintained that the case was an attempt to malign the MLA’s image, adding that the matter is subjudice and the family would produce evidence in court.

Sources close to TK Engineering also claimed that MoUs had been signed and that disputes over interest calculations and allegedly fake bills and cheques were being exploited to target the legislator.

The case has now intensified political and legal tensions in the state, with the matter expected to be further contested in higher courts.