Two cheques of M/s JUD Cements Ltd have allegedly bounced compelling the Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited (MePDCL) to file FIRs against the company, which additionally has an outstanding bill of Rs 15 crore to be paid to power corporation.
Reports said that MEPDCL filed the FIRs before Lumshnong police station in East Jaintia Hills after two cheques that were given by the East Jaintia Hills district-based cement company to clear monthly electricity dues were “dishonoured” by the bank.
M/s JUD Cements Ltd, headed by Adrash Jhunjhunwala, has a factory in Wahiajer (Narpuh,) East Jaintia Hills district spread over 400 acres. The company manufactures both PPC and OPC cements and its present capacity is half million ton per annum.
An MePDCL official, on condition of anonymity, said that one of the FIRs filed on December 2 said MEPDCL presented the cheque submitted by M/s JUD Cements for an amount of over Rs 76 lakh towards monthly electricity bills for September 2022, but was returned “due to insufficient funds.”
Two more FIRs were filed by MePDCL as two company’s cheque to clear monthly electricity dues for the month of November 2022 amounting to Rs 50 lakh each bounced due to insufficient funds.
“Since the act on part of M/s JUD Cements Ltd is criminal in nature, as such I am directed to request you to kindly register an FIR under all relevant laws and to initiate necessary action as per law,” MEPDCL executive engineer, Khliehriat said.
However, as per law such defaulters are served a 15-day notice after a cheque is dishonoured and asked to clear the dues within 15 days. Chairman and managing director of Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited, Sanjay Goyal said, M/s JUD Cements Ltd has cleared the monthly recurring dues after notices were served.
Apart from these bounced cheques, M/s JUD Cements Ltd has an outstanding electricity bill of about Rs 15 crore.
In the past, the company after failing to pay the outstanding bill approached the court which stopped the MePDCL from disconnecting power supply to the company.
The court granted that the company pays the bill in instalments.
“There is a court order which has allowed the company to pay the outstanding amount of about Rs 15 crore in instalments,” Goyal said.
