Mani C Kappan gets relief with Mumbai court withdrawing non-bailable warrant
A non-bailable warrant against MLA Mani C Kappan in a cheque-bounce case was withdrawn after his court appearance, following his conviction and one-year sentence for a ₹5.30 crore compensation in a share dispute.
A non-bailable warrant against MLA Mani C Kappan in a cheque-bounce case was withdrawn after his court appearance, following his conviction and one-year sentence for a ₹5.30 crore compensation in a share dispute.
A non-bailable warrant against MLA Mani C Kappan in a cheque-bounce case was withdrawn after his court appearance, following his conviction and one-year sentence for a ₹5.30 crore compensation in a share dispute.
Mumbai: The Additional Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Borivali has withdrawn the non-bailable warrant issued against Pala MLA Mani C Kappan in a cheque-bounce case linked to shares in Kannur International Airport.
The warrant was withdrawn after Kappan appeared before the court in person and submitted an application. He had not been present when the court pronounced its verdict last week.
On September 1, the court convicted Kappan under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act and sentenced him to one year in prison in four cases filed by Mumbai businessman and Ottapalam native Dinesh Menon. The court also ordered Kappan to pay ₹5.30 crore as compensation, along with interest, within a month. Failure to pay the compensation within the stipulated period would result in an additional six months of imprisonment.
The case arose from a long-standing financial dispute between Kappan and Menon. The financial dealings also led to a separate criminal case against Kappan in Kerala, where he was accused of cheating and criminal breach of trust.
Menon, a Palakkad native and Chairman and Managing Director of Menon Aviation & Hospitality Limited, alleged that Kappan received ₹3.5 crore from him in 2012 after promising to arrange shares in Kannur International Airport. When Menon sought a refund after the shares were not provided, Kappan reportedly returned ₹25 lakh.
Menon subsequently initiated legal proceedings after four cheques issued by Kappan in 2013, totalling ₹3.25 crore, were dishonoured.
The Kerala High Court had earlier declined to interfere with the framing of charges against Kappan. However, a special court in Ernakulam acquitted him of the criminal charges in February 2025. The cheque-dishonour case, which was instituted separately in Mumbai, continued and resulted in the conviction.
Despite the conviction, Kappan will not lose his MLA status. Under the law, a public representative is disqualified from holding elected office if convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for two years or more.
Kappan has maintained that he is innocent and said he would appeal against the conviction.
The Borivali court had directed the police to issue a non-bailable warrant for execution of the sentence. The compensation is to be paid to Menon, subject to any order passed by the appellate court.