Supreme Court Clears Jaya Prada's Jail Sentence in ESIC Case

In a major relief for veteran actress and politician Jaya Prada, the Supreme Court has set aside her six-month jail sentence in an ESIC dues case. The case dated back several years when Jaya Prada was accused of not paying Employee State Insurance (ESI) contributions to her theatre workers.

The Madras High Court had earlier upheld the six-month imprisonment and ₹5,000 fine imposed on Jaya Prada by a lower court in Chennai. However, the Supreme Court has now stayed the conviction and sentence, providing a significant legal victory for the former Member of Parliament.

The case stemmed from allegations that Jaya Prada's theatre in Chennai had deducted ESI contributions from worker salaries but failed to transfer the funds to the state insurance corporation. The workers had filed a complaint, leading to charges against Jaya Prada and her business associates.

With the Supreme Court's intervention, Jaya Prada has been cleared of the jail sentence, allowing her to focus on her political and social work without the burden of a criminal conviction. The ruling is seen as an important development in the long-running legal battle over the ESIC dues case.