A Lok Adalat in Kota has sent reminders to Bollywood actress Hema Malini and her personal secretary in connection with her alleged failure to perform at a Dussehra mela in 1997 despite receiving an advance payment.

On a petition filed by former Kota Municipal Corporation councillor Suresh Gurjar on October 18, Lok Adalat's district and session judge C M Totala took up the case yesterday but had to adjourn the case till December 12 as Hema and her secretary M A Mehta did not respond to the notices earlier issued to them.

The Lok Adalat has issued notices to five perons but there was no reply from the actress and her secretary, Gurjar told.

In his petition, Gurjar has alleged that the actress had accepted an advance of Rs 50,000 but did not show up at the function.

A contractual agreement was finalised under which Hema was to be paid Rs 2.56 lakh for her peformance.

The actress did not return the advance paid to her by the civic body, he said.

Others who have received notices in the case include Kota's district collector, mayor and commissioner of the municipal corporation.