Veteran actor Jaya Prada sentenced to six months jail in ESI fund case

New Delhi: A Chennai court has handed down a six-month jail sentence and a fine of Rs 5,000 to renowned actress Jaya Prada, who has appeared in more than 300 films over the course of her 30-year career. The case, dating back several years, pertains to her failure to pay Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) funds to her theatrical business employees in the state’s commercial hub.

Jaya Prada’s business associates, Ram Kumar and Raja Babu, were also found guilty in the same case. They were connected to a theater in Chennai that eventually had to shut down. Employees from the theater raised a complaint, alleging that Jaya Prada had not distributed the ESI funds that had been deducted from their wages.

The actress, who is also known for her political career, was directed to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 related to this case. The employees additionally claimed that the ESI funds were not forwarded to the Government Insurance Corporation.

The lawsuit was initiated against Jaya Prada and her associates by the Labour Government Insurance Corporation, resulting in a verdict from the Egmore Magistrate Court in Chennai.

Jaya Prada admitted to the charges and expressed her intention to clear the debts. Despite her attempt to have the case dismissed, the court upheld the charges, leading to the sentencing of jail time and the specified fine.