Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff has filed a petition in the Kerala High Court seeking to quash a cheque bouncing case pending against him in a lower court in Thrissur. Shroff has stated in his petition, filed yesterday, the Judicial First Class Magistrate at Kodungalloor in Thrissur district had no territorial jurisdiction to consider the complaints filed against him in the case.

He stated due to certain business transactions between his wife and the first complainant Bijay Chokani of Mumbai, seven cheques were issued to the latter.

Shroff alleged that Chokani, to harass him, issued a power of attorney to the second complainant, V K Mathew of Thrissur.

Mathew opened an account at the Catholic Syrian Bank's Perinnanam branch in Thrissur and presented the seven cheques.

The cheques were returned for lack of funds and Shroff got notices demanding the amount mentioned in the cheques. Since the money was not paid, the power of attorney holder filed a case.

Shroff alleged the complainant's intention was to create unnecessary media hype by compelling him to come to Kerala as an accused and tarnish his image.

This is the 7th Criminal Miscellaneous case filed by Shroff.

The High Court had earlier stayed proceedings pending before the lower court in six other cases and referred them to a division bench to consider the question of maintainablity of complaints filed by the power of attorney holder of the payee of cheques under Sect 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.

Vacation judge Justice M Shashidharan Nambiar posted the actor's petition to April 29.