Century Business Media has nine pending criminal recovery cases

Century Business Media Limited, referred to here as Century Business Media, has disclosed nine pending criminal proceedings filed to recover alleged unpaid dues and dishonoured cheques. Seven cases concern advertising-related work, while two stem from 2004 colour-television credit sales; two Lets Converse Consulting complaints each state Rs 24.71805 lakh as unpaid.

Why has Century Business Media filed nine criminal recovery cases?

Century Business Media has filed nine criminal recovery cases alleging unpaid bills, dishonoured cheques, criminal breach of trust and cheating. Seven proceedings arise from advertising, hoarding, digital-media or related services, while Case No. CC/23326/2014 and Case No. CC/6788/2014 relate to colour televisions supplied on credit in 2004. All nine were disclosed as pending in courts in Patna as of the Draft Red Herring Prospectus date.

The complaints generally cite Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, which the disclosures apply where cheques were dishonoured. The older cases also cite Sections 406 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code, or IPC, concerning criminal breach of trust and cheating as described in the prospectus. The Shantilal Sweets Ventures and Lets Converse Consulting cases additionally cite Sections 316 and 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, or BNS.

The cases span several advertising formats and periods. Savino Engicon’s dispute followed an order for hoardings and boards on 18 September 2019, while Red Bull Media’s matter concerns digital-media placements at Patna Airport until 22 December 2022. Perfection Edudve, Shantilal Sweets Ventures and Lets Converse cases concern digital advertising, hoarding or advertising services, showing that the disclosed proceedings involve multiple counterparties rather than one customer.

Which Century Business Media criminal recovery cases have the largest stated amounts?

Century Business Media’s largest disclosed unpaid amount is Rs 24.71805 lakh in each of two criminal complaints against Lets Converse Consulting. Case No. CC/10024(c)/2025 was listed for hearing on 23 September 2026 and Case No. CC/10026(5)/2025 for 17 September 2026; both were at the hearing stage and had no disclosed settlement.

The stated figures should not be added as a confirmed total exposure. The two Perfection Edudve complaints both refer to accumulated dues of Rs 10.41879 lakh, but concern separate dishonoured cheques of Rs 6 lakh and Rs 4.41879 lakh. Likewise, the two Lets Converse complaints each state bills of Rs 24.71805 lakh, but the disclosure does not say whether the two amounts are separate receivables or overlapping claims.

Savino Engicon’s complaint separates invoicing, payment and the claimed balance. Century Business Media states that it invoiced Rs 21.56423 lakh for the 2019 work, received Rs 5 lakh and was left with Rs 16.56432 lakh outstanding; three cheques totalling Rs 5 lakh were allegedly dishonoured. The case had no settlement disclosed before its 28 October 2026 hearing.

What do the cheque allegations show about Century Business Media collections?

The complaints show that Century Business Media has used criminal proceedings after clients allegedly failed to pay for completed services and cheques were dishonoured. In the two Perfection Edudve cases, the company alleges insufficient-funds returns on cheques of Rs 6 lakh and Rs 4.41879 lakh. The legal notices in those matters were dated 2 December 2024 and 21 December 2024, respectively.

Shantilal Sweets Ventures provides a comparison between the billed service value, partial payment and cheque amount. Century Business Media states that services worth Rs 31.95413 lakh were completed from 2022, Rs 7.74328 lakh was paid, and Rs 24.21085 lakh remained unpaid. The complaint says three cheques totalling Rs 18.54685 lakh were dishonoured with the reason “Exceeds Arrangement,” leaving a difference between the alleged total due and the cheque amount.

A criminal complaint records allegations rather than a court finding or a recovered amount. In the Lets Converse matters filed on 12 June 2025, Century Business Media alleges that two part-payment cheques were dishonoured for insufficient funds and that the counterparty denied the dues. Both cases remained pending at the hearing stage, so the prospectus does not establish an eventual collection outcome.

How do the two older cases differ from advertising claims?

Two of Century Business Media’s nine criminal recovery cases are not connected to advertising services. Case No. CC/23326/2014 against Ramavtar Bhartiya and Case No. CC/6788/2014 against Sabnam Singh concern colour televisions supplied on credit in a 2004 transaction. In both matters, the company says cheques issued to settle the credit sales were dishonoured because of insufficient funds.

The older cases differ because the company could not state the amount involved or relevant underlying dates after unsuccessful efforts to retrieve old records from the Patna Civil Court. Century Business Media says it wrote off both debts after the accused ceased operations. The Ramavtar Bhartiya matter was at the appearance stage, while the Sabnam Singh matter was at the enquiry and witness stage, with hearings listed for 29 August 2026 and 26 September 2026, respectively.

The distinction means the nine-case count includes both current advertising-client collection disputes and legacy credit-sale litigation. The seven advertising-linked matters have stated amounts ranging from Rs 1.006 lakh for Red Bull Media to Rs 24.71805 lakh in each Lets Converse complaint. The two television cases contribute to the duration of the litigation record but do not add a quantified amount in the disclosure.

What additional recovery process has Century Business Media disclosed?

Century Business Media has disclosed proposed money suits involving Perfection Edudve, Shantilal Sweets Ventures, Lets Converse Consulting and Rohit Kumar, proprietor of Ad World. As of the disclosure, the suits had not been instituted because the District Legal Services Authority had issued mediation notices. Mediation in all four matters was scheduled for 24 August 2026.

The proposed civil actions are separate from the nine criminal proceedings and do not establish additional quantified dues. The prospectus states that a suit will be filed before the competent court if mediation fails. That disclosed process creates a separate route for recovery against the named counterparties, in addition to the criminal cases that were pending at the hearing or earlier stages.

Conclusion

Century Business Media’s nine pending criminal recovery cases show that alleged non-payment and dishonoured cheques have resulted in repeated legal action. The disclosed matters include seven advertising-related proceedings and two older credit-sale cases, while the largest stated amount is Rs 24.71805 lakh in each of two Lets Converse complaints. The case list does not demonstrate recovery because no settlement was disclosed in the current advertising-related matters.

The next disclosed developments are the September and October 2026 hearings in the advertising-related criminal cases and the 24 August 2026 mediation scheduled for four proposed civil recovery actions. Century Business Media has stated that money suits may be instituted if mediation fails, while payment outcomes in the criminal cases remain dependent on court proceedings, settlements or collections from the named counterparties.