A sessions court in Bombay has dismissed a criminal revision plea against actress Sunny Leone, her husband, Daniel Weber, and their manager, Sunny Rajani, in a dispute over alleged unpaid commission for a Telugu film. The court held that a commercial breach cannot be treated as a criminal offence unless fraudulent or dishonest intention exists from the outset.
Complainant Omprakash Jain had approached the sessions court after a magistrate’s court dismissed his complaint in 2024. He had alleged cheating, criminal breach of trust and criminal intimidation, claiming that Sunny Leone was given a role in the film through his efforts. Jain claimed that there was an understanding that the accused would pay him a 10% incentive from the Rs. 1.75 crore consideration, but he had received only part payment.
According to Jain’s complaint, he was paid Rs. 1.75 lakh after Leone received Rs. 35 lakh of the compensation amount on November 26, 2000. He further said, he was paid another Rs. 3.50 lakh on July 20, 2022, but the balance amount of commission was withheld.
Jain had earlier sought an inquiry through the magistrate’s court. On December 6, 2023, the magistrate refused to order a police investigation and directed him to proceed with verification under section 200 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. In revision, Jain argued that the magistrate had failed to apply proper mind, wrongly treated the matter as civil, and rejected the complaint despite material allegedly showing cheating, fraud and breach of trust.
Sunny Leone, Daniel Weber and Sunny Rajani opposed the plea, saying that the complaint did not disclose the ingredients of offence.
Additional sessions judge P.A. Sane noted that the documents included a tax invoice, two Form 16-A copies and a full-and-final settlement document in Jain’s favour. The court said, these reflected a commercial transaction. It added that even if non-payment was accepted, that alone did not establish cheating or breach of trust.