Kerala MLA Mani C Kappan sentenced to one year in jail

A Mumbai court has sentenced Mani C Kappan, a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Kerala's Pala constituency, to one year of simple imprisonment in a cheque-bounce case. The conviction, issued by the Additional Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Borivali under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, follows allegations by businessman Dinesh Menon regarding a financial dispute involving promised shares in Kannur International Airport.

In addition to the prison term, Judge SA Khalane ordered Kappan to pay ₹1.20 crore in compensation to Menon, plus 9% simple interest from the date of the order. Kappan must pay the compensation within one month; failure to do so will result in an additional three to six months of imprisonment. The court has issued a non-bailable warrant for the execution of the sentence.

Kappan, a United Democratic Front MLA, has previously faced legal proceedings in Kerala related to the same dispute, including an acquittal by a special court in Ernakulam in February 2025. Kappan has maintained that the legal actions against him are politically motivated. Sources indicate he intends to challenge the Mumbai court's verdict in an appellate court.