Mumbai, March 8 (IANS): Filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi, who is fighting a legal battle regarding a cheque bounce case filed by real estate barons-turned-producers Dhanraj and Anil Jethani, says that the case is fabricated.

"It is a fabricated case and an absolute lie. He (Jethani) owns the money and it is not other way round. The truth will come out soon and we are going to file a suit," Santoshi told IANS over phone.

It is said that they have sent several legal notices to the filmmaker.

When asked about it, Santoshi said: "They are just gaining publicity and spoiling my reputation. It's a sub judice case. So, why are they talking to the media? If they are fighting for the truth, they should know that judiciary system will give them justice and not the media."

Dhanraj and Anil Jethani, who had co-produced the 2013 film "Ankur Arora Murder Case", filed a complaint against the filmmaker in 2013. According to Jethanis, Santoshi met them last year for discussion on a film production budgeting approximately Rs 1.50 crore that did not materialise. Later, the filmmaker issued multiple cheques to return the money and all the cheques bounced.

The filmmaker has been charged under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, after a cheque of Rs 17,50,000 bounced and an arrest warrant was issued against him on January 17 this year. The Rajkot magistrate court on March 4 granted Santoshi bail for a surety of Rs 25,000 in the cheque bounce case.

Santoshi will now appear in court for the first hearing on April 1.