Mohali, June 13 -- Judicial magistrate first class Abhay Rajan Shukla, Mohali, on Wednesday sentenced four persons, including sitting BJP MLA from Arunachal Pradesh, to two years simple imprisonment in a cheque bounce case. The four convicted individuals-Tara Techi, Julli Techi, Ratu Techi, and PK Roy-were also ordered to pay a fine of Rs.5.55 crore under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. Among them, Ratu Techi, 60, is a sitting BJP MLA representing the Sagalee Assembly Constituency in the Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh. He was elected unopposed in the 2024 Arunachal Pradesh legislative assembly election. All four were present in the court on Wednesday. The case was filed by Kulwinder Singh Grewal, designated partner at GTC-M-TRADEZ LLP, Morinda (district Ropar), through his counsel Tejwinder Singh Gill. According to the complaint, the accused-functioning under M/s TK Engineering Construction Pvt Ltd - had procured construction materials from the complainant and issued post-dated cheques of Rs.50 lakh each as payment. However, the cheques were dishonoured on February 25, 2020, and again on March 31, 2020, with the memo remarks stating "funds insufficient." Despite being served a legal notice, the accused failed to respond or settle the dues, prompting legal proceedings. During the trial, both sides presented their arguments. The defence sought leniency, citing the advanced age of the accused and claiming they were first-time offenders. The complainant's counsel, however, pushed for the maximum penalty to set a strong precedent and deter similar offences. In his ruling, the judge observed, "The court takes cognisance of the fact that the convicts showed utter disregard for the law. Adopting a lenient view for such acts would only promote lawlessness in a society already facing serious challenges." The court also clarified that any amount already paid by the convicts to the complainant during the pendency of the case-if accepted-shall be adjusted against the total compensation awarded in the judgment. The verdict marks a significant development in cheque bounce litigation, particularly involving public representatives and corporate entities....