Kochi: The Kerala High Court has granted anticipatory bail to the producers of the blockbuster Malayalam film 'Manjummel Boys' – actor Soubin Shahir and Shawn Antony – in a case relating to the dispute over profit sharing. Justice P G Ajith Kumar ordered that the two should not be arrested till May 22 when the case has been posted for hearing.
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Shawn and Soubin, who are partners of Parava Films which produced 'Manjummel Boys,' moved the High Court seeking prevention of arrest after they were booked for cheating based on a complaint that they failed to honour a promise of profit-sharing made to an investor in the film.
Close on the heels of the resounding success of their film, the producers of the Malayalam blockbuster 'Manjummel Boys' found themselves in a spot of bother after the Maradu police in Kerala registered a case against them, including cheating charges, on a complaint that they failed to honour a promise over profit-sharing allegedly made to one Siraj Valiyathara Hameed, an investor in the film.
The case was registered on April 23 on the direction of the Ernakulam First Class Magistrate Court. The investor filed the complaint alleging that the Manjummel Boys producers did not pay him 40 per cent share of the profits as they had allegedly promised. Following this, the court had ordered freezing of the bank accounts of the producers.
In their anticipatory bail plea, Soubin and his co-accused stated that Siraj started demanding exorbitant amounts from them after online media reported that the film made a collection of Rs 250 crore. They said the amount will be settled as per the clauses in the investment agreement. The amount to be paid will be calculated after the entire revenue and expenses have been accounted for.
