Sunny Leone film producer alleges threat

The producer John Stephen claimed that he had returned the money he borrowed along with interest, but the moneylenders were seeking more money to return the documents for the rights of the film that were given as surety. 

Police said John Stephen (45) producer of Veeramadevi, was earlier producing a movie with director Rampal, staring GV Prakash and Vadivelu, in 2016. After the film overshot its budget of Rs 1.5 crore, the producer needed Rs 25 lakh more, which he borrowed from financiers, Padmavathi and Anand Gandeepan. The fund was arranged through a broker, Ramesh, after handing over the documents as required.

However, the project was dropped halfway after which John paid Rs 40 lakh to the financier, including the interest at the rate of six per cent, police said quoting the producer’s complaint.

Now, the financiers have been threatening him using an anti-social element in Virugambakkam seeking Rs 2 lakh more to return the documents, he alleged. 

Virugambakkam police have registered a case under various sections of the IPC, including criminal intimidation, wrongful restrain, extortion and trespassing against the persons named in the complaint.

Speaking to DT Next, John alleged that the financiers made duplicate copies of the document and sold it for a substantial sum to a few distributors. It was one of the distributors outside Chennai who alerted him about the fraud following which he immediately filed a complaint with the Virugambakkam Police, he added. 

“It is unfair to steal our work as we have invested huge amount of money in it. Now a couple of people have been remanded and the hunt is on for others involved in this case,” he said.