Actor Armaan Kohli has been warned by the Bombay High Court to either pay Rs 50 lakh to his former girlfriend Neeru Randhawa as agreed while reaching a settlement in the 2018 assault case against him or go to prison.
A division bench of Justices Nitin Sambre and RN Laddha was hearing a plea by Randhawa seeking recall of its 2018 order quashing the FIR registered against Kohli following which he was released from the Arthur Road Prison.
During the hearing on Tuesday, Justice Sambre said: “Either he (Kohli) pays, or we recall the order.”
Randhawa’s advocate Kushal Mor showed the 2018 judgement to the bench while seeking to recall the same.
Advocate Taraq Sayyad appearing for Kohli said that the actor's parents, who are in their 90s, need their son. He also pointed to an affidavit filed by Kohli’s friend who vouched for the same.
The judges, however, sked Sayyad to ensure that Kohli take a decision on payment and convey the same to the court by July 18.
Randhawa and Kohli were in a live-in relationship. According to her plea, following a dispute on June 3, 2018, Kohli brutally assaulted her as a result she had sustained grievous injuries and had to undergo 15 sutures. She registered an FIR against Kohli at the Santacruz police station.
However, the two reached a settlement in the presence of mutual friends, wherein it was agreed that Kohli will pay Rs one crore. He was to pay Rs 50 lakh as an initial amount within three days.
For the remaining amount, his brother, Rajnish, gave two post-dated cheques of Rs 25 lakh each, towards a full and final settlement. Kohli then approached the HC which quashed the FIR as Randhawa consented to the same.
However, Randhawa alleged that the two cheques were dishonoured due to insufficient funds.
Randhawa filed a fresh petition contending that the Kohlis used “fraud and deceit” in the court to get the FIR quashed and hence the order (quashing the FIR) be recalled.
