Overview

• On August 12, Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler granted Pathak protection from arrest, finding no prima facie need for custodial interrogation.
• The Delhi Police Economic Offences Wing’s FIR accuses Pathak and others of criminal breach of trust, cheating and conspiracy in a Rs 4.3 crore co-investment deal for Drishyam 2’s Chinese dubbing and release rights.
• About Rs 75 lakh of the disputed funds was traced to Panorama Studios International Ltd, where Pathak was a director, and his defence says it was an advance for the Gujarati film Googly.
• The judge noted that written contracts, bank transfers and correspondence are already with investigators, reducing the justification for Pathak’s custodial questioning.
• If arrested, Pathak must furnish a Rs 1 lakh personal bond with a matching surety, cooperate fully with the probe and refrain from threatening witnesses.