A Thane court has sentenced a businessman to one-year simple imprisonment in a cheque bounce case of 2018 and imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on him, directing it to be paid as compensation to the complainant, reported news agency PTI.

The accused failed to make the payment deliberately and hence was not liable for leniency, the 11th Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, A D Margode, observed in the order passed on Monday.

If he defaults on paying the fine, he will face an additional six months of simple imprisonment, the court said, reported PTI.