GUNMALA SALES PRIVATE LTD. Vs. ANU MEHTA
LAWS(SC)-2014-10-34
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
Decided on October 17,2014

Gunmala Sales Private Ltd. Appellant
VERSUS
Anu Mehta Respondents





Cited Judgements :-

RAMAKRISHNAN ARVIND VS. M/S. SHRISTI COTSPINN PRIVATE LIMITED [LAWS(MAD)-2021-9-1] [REFERRED TO]
ANIL PATHAK VS. LARSEN AND TOUBRO LIMITED [LAWS(MAD)-2018-12-97] [REFERRED TO]
VIJAY KUMAR DANGE VS. SAROJ THAKUR AND ORS. [LAWS(HPH)-2015-7-100] [REFERRED TO]
SUBRATA ROY SAHARA VS. STATE OF GUJARAT & ORS. [LAWS(GJH)-2015-10-353] [REFERRED TO]
JAVAHAR LAL VS. OVT INDIA PVT. LIMITED [LAWS(DLH)-2022-8-10] [REFERRED TO]
MOODALAGIRIYAPPA K. L. VS. SREE GOKULAM CHIT AND FINANCE CO (P) LTD [LAWS(KAR)-2021-5-33] [REFERRED TO]
ANAND VARDHAN VS. STATE OF U.P. [LAWS(ALL)-2017-4-199] [REFERRED TO]
SUNIL KUMAR KAUL VS. STATE OF GOA [LAWS(BOM)-2023-8-553] [REFERRED TO]
PRANAB KUMAR ROY VS. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE BOARD OF INDIA [LAWS(CAL)-2023-3-49] [REFERRED TO]
SNEHALBHAI BHIKHABHAI PATEL VS. STATE OF GUJARAT [LAWS(GJH)-2023-9-55] [REFERRED TO]
THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH POLICE STATION OFFICER VS. AMRESH S/O SURESH JAISWAL [LAWS(BOM)-2019-3-34] [REFERRED TO]
MRS. NEHA HIMATSINGKA VS. STATE OF ASSAM [LAWS(GAU)-2020-7-3] [REFERRED TO]
R.J.PLASTIC VS. M/S. AMPLAS POLYMERS PVT. LTD. [LAWS(BOM)-2021-10-379] [REFERRED TO]
G P KUNDARGI VS. M P STATE POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD [LAWS(MPH)-2018-3-577] [REFERRED TO]
A.R. RADHA KRISHNA VS. DASARI DEEPTHI [LAWS(SC)-2019-2-464] [REFERRED TO]
S.P. MANI AND MOHAN DAIRY VS. DR. SNEHALATHA ELANGOVAN [LAWS(SC)-2022-9-79] [REFERRED TO]
RAKESH P. GUPTA VS. STATE TRADING CORPORATION OF INDIA [LAWS(BOM)-2019-1-7] [REFERRED TO]
UNIQUE INFOWAYS PVT. LTD. VS. MPS TELECOM PRIVATE LIMITED [LAWS(DLH)-2019-3-324] [REFERRED TO]
VINAY KUMAR MEHTA VS. STATE (NCT) OF DELHI AND ANR [LAWS(DLH)-2018-9-401] [REFERRED TO]
GOPALA KRISHNA MOOTHA VS. STATE GOVT OF NCT OF DELHI [LAWS(DLH)-2022-2-42] [REFERRED TO]
AMIT PRAKASH JASTE VS. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND ORS. [LAWS(BOM)-2015-11-66] [REFERRED TO]
JINOFER BHUJWALA VS. STATE OF GUJARAT [LAWS(GJH)-2015-2-165] [REFERRED TO]
P.S. ARUL KUMAR VS. AJEEZ AHAMED [LAWS(MAD)-2017-10-128] [REFERRED TO]
SANDEEP SHUKLA VS. STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH [LAWS(MPH)-2024-7-18] [REFERRED TO]
SANTOSH VS. STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH [LAWS(MPH)-2019-8-184] [REFERRED TO]
BRIJI GOPAL DAGA AND ORS. VS. STATE OF KERALA AND ORS. [LAWS(KER)-2015-3-114] [REFERRED TO]
BRIJI GOPAL DAGA AND ORS. VS. STATE OF KERALA AND ORS. [LAWS(KER)-2015-3-114] [REFERRED TO]
SIBY THOMAS VS. SOMANY CERAMICS LTD [LAWS(SC)-2023-10-24] [REFERRED TO]
PURUSHOTHAMAN JAMBUKESAN VS. PATEL ENGINEERING LIMITED AND OTHERS [LAWS(BOM)-2016-2-271] [REFERRED]
MANOJKUMAR RAMNIKBHAI ROJIVADIYA VS. STATE OF GUJARAT [LAWS(GJH)-2023-7-453] [REFERRED TO]
ANILKUMAR RAMNIKLAL PATEL VS. K. G. S. TYRES DISTRIBUTORS [LAWS(GJH)-2023-7-43] [REFERRED TO]
PRAKASH CHAND VS. STATE [LAWS(DLH)-2022-12-169] [REFERRED TO]
MAHESH SHARMA VS. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA [LAWS(BOM)-2022-6-236] [REFERRED TO]
AJAY RAMPAL SARDA VS. PANKAJ AND ORS. [LAWS(BOM)-2020-12-420] [REFERRED TO]
SAVITHRI RADHA KRISHAN VS. STATE OF A.P. [LAWS(APH)-2017-1-53] [REFERRED TO]
RITESH GARODIA VS. STATE OF GUJARAT [LAWS(GJH)-2016-6-347] [REFERRED TO]
PRAVIN AMRUTLAL KIRI VS. STATE OF GUJARAT [LAWS(GJH)-2017-3-634] [REFERRED TO]
VIJAY HIMATLAL MODI VS. STATE OF GUJARAT [LAWS(GJH)-2019-1-94] [REFERRED TO]
YUSUF KARIM KHAN VS. STATE OF JHARKHAND [LAWS(JHAR)-2022-11-92] [REFERRED TO]
KURUVILLA K. THOMAS VS. STATE OF KERALA AND ORS. [LAWS(KER)-2019-9-197] [REFERRED TO]
PRAGYA EQUIPMENTS PRIVATE LIMITED & TWO OTHERS VS. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF INDIA [LAWS(MPH)-2016-3-142] [REFERRED]
SARITA HARISH KANCHAN VS. RIYA BAWRI [LAWS(MEGH)-2023-3-20] [REFERRED TO]
SUBRAMANI RAJBETTAN VS. SARANAM TEA FACTORY [LAWS(MAD)-2021-10-190] [REFERRED TO]
P INDRANI PRASAD VS. STATE OF TELANGANA [LAWS(TLNG)-2019-1-49] [REFERRED TO]
UDAY MADHU RAWAL & ORS. VS. THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA [LAWS(BOM)-2015-12-179] [REFERRED TO]
BINCO CONSTRUCTIONS PVT. LTD VS. R.R.INDUSTRIAL CORPORATION (I) PRIVATE LTD [LAWS(CHH)-2021-2-97] [REFERRED TO]
JWALA DEVI ENTERPRISES P LTD VS. FADI EL JAOUNI [LAWS(DLH)-2018-7-512] [REFERRED TO]
GIRISH MULSHANKAR CHAUDHARY VS. M.M. ENTERPRISE [LAWS(GAU)-2022-2-97] [REFERRED TO]
PRADIPKUMAR LAXMINARAYAN BINANI VS. STATE OF GUJARAT [LAWS(GJH)-2017-3-631] [REFERRED TO]
MODERN DENIM LIMITED VS. STATE OF GUJARAT [LAWS(GJH)-2015-3-112] [REFERRED TO]
SANJAY SHARMA VS. DHARAM DASS PATHANIA [LAWS(HPH)-2016-8-256] [REFERRED TO]
BOSCO SAIRO VS. GOUR PAN [LAWS(CAL)-2023-5-88] [REFERRED TO]
SUMAN LAKHANI VS. J.B.B. MARKETING PVT. LTD. [LAWS(MPH)-2019-12-77] [REFERRED TO]
SANJEEV AGRAWAL VS. STATE OF M P THROUGH P S KAMPOO [LAWS(MPH)-2017-8-261] [REFERRED TO]
P M MATHEW VS. STATE OF KERALA [LAWS(KER)-2017-8-155] [REFERRED TO]
HARI PRIYA MURALI VS. REGENT FINANCE CORPORATION PRIVATE LIMITED [LAWS(MAD)-2021-9-152] [REFERRED TO]
RAMAKRISHNAN ARVIND DIRECTOR VS. M.S. SELVARAJ [LAWS(MAD)-2021-9-154] [REFERRED TO]
STATNDARD CHARTERED BANK VS. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA [LAWS(SC)-2016-4-26] [REFERRED TO]
ANUBHAV MAHESHWARI AND OTHERS VS. RPG INFRATECH [LAWS(UTN)-2018-7-69] [REFERRED TO]
T.C. KHETAN AND ORS. VS. PRAGATI ASSOCIATES AND ORS. [LAWS(P&H)-2015-4-8] [REFERRED TO]
RAKESH RADHESHYAM JHUNJHUWALA VS. STATE OF HARYANA AND ORS. [LAWS(P&H)-2015-9-45] [REFERRED TO]
AKKINAPALLI SUJATHA VS. STATE OF TELANGANA [LAWS(TLNG)-2021-6-16] [REFERRED TO]
DAVINDER KAUR VS. STATE OF WEST BENGAL [LAWS(CAL)-2015-7-22] [REFERRED TO]
B. SRIRAM AND ORS. VS. GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI [LAWS(DLH)-2015-11-288] [REFERRED TO]
QUEST NET ENTERPRISES PRIVATE LIMITED VS. STATE OF A.P. [LAWS(APH)-2023-2-48] [REFERRED TO]
SUN PHARMACEUTICALS LIMITED VS. STATE OF TELANGANA [LAWS(APH)-2016-4-47] [REFERRED TO]
ARVIND SIVAKUMARAN VS. RAJKUMAR JAIN [LAWS(MAD)-2020-8-432] [REFERRED TO]
KIRAN VITTAL POOJARY VS. PRISMATIC ENGINEERING [LAWS(KAR)-2019-8-160] [REFERRED TO]
RAHUL CHATURBHAI VAGHASIA VS. STATE OF GUJARAT & 1 [LAWS(GJH)-2017-2-45] [REFERRED TO]
S SHAGUNTHALA DEVI VS. STATE OF GUJARAT [LAWS(GJH)-2018-7-56] [REFERRED TO]
M NESAMANIRENGASAMY VS. STATE, REP BY INSPECTOR OF POLICERENGASWAMY [LAWS(MAD)-2019-1-135] [REFERRED TO]
RAVI KUMAR VS. STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH [LAWS(HPH)-2023-5-32] [REFERRED TO]
T RAGHAVENDRA VS. K H MUMBARADDI [LAWS(KAR)-2015-2-323] [REFERRED TO]
HIROO HOTCHAND ADVANI VS. INTEGRATED FINANCE CO. LTD [LAWS(MAD)-2024-1-144] [REFERRED TO]
M. RAVI VS. STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH [LAWS(TLNG)-2021-3-139] [REFERRED TO]
SURINDER SINGH KOONER VS. STATE OF PUNJAB [LAWS(P&H)-2015-5-676] [REFERRED TO]
CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION VS. THOMMANDRU HANNAH VIJAYALAKSHMI [LAWS(SC)-2021-10-35] [REFERRED TO]
PREETI VS. STATE [LAWS(DLH)-2022-11-217] [REFERRED TO]
SALIL DINKARLAL GANDHI VS. STATE OF GUJARAT [LAWS(GJH)-2019-1-120] [REFERRED TO]
URMILABEN PARESHBHAI KOTHIYA VS. HDFC BANK LTD [LAWS(GJH)-2018-7-65] [REFERRED TO]
CHIMANBHAI BACHUBHA KABARIYA VS. HDFC BANK LTD [LAWS(GJH)-2018-7-64] [REFERRED TO]
MONALBEN VIHAR BRAHMBHATT AND 1 VS. STATE OF GUJARAT AND 1 [LAWS(GJH)-2017-4-432] [REFERRED TO]
KIRAN VITTAL POOJARY VS. PRISMATIC ENGINEERING PRIVATE LIMITED [LAWS(KAR)-2019-6-252] [REFERRED TO]
KURICHI THANGABALU KARTHICK VS. RAJ TELEVISION NETWORK LTD [LAWS(MAD)-2020-10-175] [REFERRED TO]
VISHWANATHAN LAKSHMI SRIDHAR VS. AGS ENTERTAINMENT PVT. LTD. [LAWS(MAD)-2017-11-170] [REFERRED TO]
NAVEEN SRIRAM VS. SPECIAL DIRECTOR, DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT [LAWS(MAD)-2015-10-210] [REFERRED TO]
RAMAMOHAN RAO MYNAMPATI VS. SPECIAL DIRECTOR, ADJUDICATING AUTHORITY, DIRECTORATE OF ENFORCEMENT, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA AND ORS. [LAWS(MAD)-2015-9-142] [REFERRED TO]
ANIL KUMAR SINGHAL VS. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA [LAWS(BOM)-2022-8-52] [REFERRED TO]
MRS. LATA PRAMOD DAVE VS. M/S. MODE EXPORT PRIVATE LIMITED [LAWS(BOM)-2016-3-43] [REFERRED TO]
ANUP LODHA AND ORS. VS. THE STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ORS. [LAWS(CAL)-2015-7-112] [REFERRED TO]
JITENDRA KUMAR SINHA VS. STATE (NCT) OF DELHI AND ANR [LAWS(DLH)-2018-9-400] [REFERRED TO]
HAR SARUP BHASIN VS. ORIGO COMMODITIES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED [LAWS(DLH)-2020-1-19] [REFERRED TO]
PRADEEP KHETSHI SHAH VS. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND ORS [LAWS(BOM)-2019-1-44] [REFERRED TO]
ASHISH RAMKISAN SARAF AND ORS VS. M/S. THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED [LAWS(BOM)-2019-2-51] [REFERRED TO]
PRAVEEN KUMAR VS. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA [LAWS(BOM)-2020-9-296] [REFERRED TO]
DAYLE DE SOUZA VS. GOVERNMENT OF INDIA [LAWS(SC)-2021-10-96] [REFERRED TO]
G. RAMESH VS. KANIKE HARISH KUMAR UJWAL [LAWS(SC)-2019-4-158] [REFERRED TO]
ANEES NISAR AHMED VS. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA [LAWS(BOM)-2022-11-194] [REFERRED TO]
S.M.ENTERPRISES VS. LEENA GADIT [LAWS(CHH)-2019-2-183] [REFERRED TO]
GEETA SINGH VS. JAI PRAKASH [LAWS(CHH)-2019-3-64] [REFERRED TO]
SAI GIRDHAR RAJ KUMAR VS. ARUN KAPOOR [LAWS(DLH)-2020-5-50] [REFERRED TO]
SHASHI JINDAL AND ORS. VS. GOVT. OF NCT AND ORS. [LAWS(DLH)-2015-10-156] [REFERRED TO]
AJAY RAMPAL SARDA VS. MOHANLAL NATHMAL AGRAWAL [LAWS(BOM)-2021-1-212] [REFERRED TO]
NIRANJAN PRASAD SINHA VS. SHRIDHAR STEELS (P) LTD [LAWS(BOM)-2019-2-239] [REFERRED TO]
ANAND SADASHIV KAPRE VS. M/S. THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED [LAWS(BOM)-2019-2-207] [REFERRED TO]
NAZIM KARIM MUMBRAWALA VS. KESHAVA PRASAD H. A. [LAWS(BOM)-2019-10-19] [REFERRED TO]
SHIVANI (SIC SHIVANGI) W/O TUSHAR GARG VS. ANUJ SHRIKANT TABEREWALA [LAWS(BOM)-2019-2-42] [REFERRED TO]
SAHADU DAGADU SATAV VS. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA [LAWS(BOM)-2019-6-192] [REFERRED TO]
N. SRINIVASAN VS. STATE OF TELANGANA [LAWS(APH)-2016-3-76] [REFERRED TO]
DHARMENDRASINH RATANSINH RAOL VS. STATE OF GUJARAT [LAWS(GJH)-2017-3-529] [REFERRED TO]
ASHOK ROY CHAUDHARY VS. STATE OF GUJARAT & ORS. [LAWS(GJH)-2015-10-354] [REFERRED TO]
ANIL CHANANA VS. GYANI RAM RULIYA RAM [LAWS(P&H)-2018-10-156] [REFERRED TO]
C.K. SABHARWAL VS. STATE OF PUNJAB [LAWS(P&H)-2017-3-110] [REFERRED TO]
SASHI KUMAR NAGARAJI VS. MAGNIFICO MINERALS PVT LTD [LAWS(DLH)-2023-6-94] [REFERRED TO]
ASHUTOSH ASHOK PARASRAMPURIYA VS. GHARRKUL INDUSTRIES PVT. LTD [LAWS(SC)-2021-10-41] [REFERRED TO]
SANTOSH DEVI VS. STATE [LAWS(DLH)-2024-3-24] [REFERRED TO]
PAVAN KUMAR VS. MICROSOFT CORPORATION (INDIA) PVT. LTD. [LAWS(KAR)-2015-7-300] [REFERRED TO]
NIKHIL P GANDHI VS. STATE OF GUJARAT [LAWS(GJH)-2016-6-110] [REFERRED TO]
CHIRANJIB BISWAL VS. BISHNU CHARAN DAS AND ORS. [LAWS(ORI)-2016-3-15] [REFERRED TO]
VIDHYA JAYAPRAKASH A. VS. STATE OF KERALA [LAWS(KER)-2019-12-7] [REFERRED TO]
A C MUTHIAH VS. RESERVE BANK OF INDIA [LAWS(MAD)-2016-8-339] [REFERRED]
MAHALINGA NARAYANAN VS. KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK LIMITED [LAWS(MAD)-2023-8-74] [REFERRED TO]
R.K.VERMA VS. KRISHNA TEXOPORT INDUSTRIES LTD [LAWS(BOM)-2015-10-234] [REFERRED TO]
SHAKTI RANJAN MONDAL VS. AJAY KUMAR AGARWAL [LAWS(CAL)-2015-7-211] [REFERRED]
FADI EL JAOUNI VS. GIAN CHAND GARG [LAWS(DLH)-2018-7-511] [REFERRED TO]
AJAI KUMAR JAIN AND ORS. VS. THE STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ORS. [LAWS(CAL)-2016-5-5] [REFERRED TO]
I.R. TECHNOLOGY SERVICES PVT. LTD. AND ORS. VS. STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ORS. [LAWS(CAL)-2016-4-48] [REFERRED TO]
SH. LALTHAKIMA S/O SUAKTHUAMA (L) VS. STATE OF MIZORAM [LAWS(GAU)-2018-7-157] [REFERRED TO]
MANISHKUMAR RAMVILAS AGARWAL VS. STATE OF GUJARAT [LAWS(GJH)-2023-7-292] [REFERRED TO]
PRAVINSINH JHALA VS. STATE OF GUJARAT [LAWS(GJH)-2022-5-11] [REFERRED TO]
GAGAN AERO SPACE LTD VS. STATE OF TELANGANA [LAWS(TLNG)-2019-4-129] [REFERRED TO]
AMAR JEET KALRA VS. DEEPAK GOLCHA [LAWS(P&H)-2017-11-40] [REFERRED TO]
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE BOARD OF INDIA VS. GAURAV VARSHNEY & ANR. [LAWS(SC)-2016-7-37] [REFERRED TO]


JUDGEMENT

- (1.)Leave granted.
(2.)In these appeals, we are concerned with the question as to whether the High Court was justified in quashing the proceedings initiated by the Magistrate on the ground that there was merely a bald assertion in the complaint filed under Section 138 read with Section 141 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 ("the NI Act") that the Directors were at the time when the offence was committed in charge of and responsible for the conduct and day-to-day business of the accused-company which bald assertion was not sufficient to maintain the said complaint.
(3.)These appeals arise out of several complaints filed under Section 138 read with Section 141 of the NI Act. The complaints were filed by Gunmala Sales Private Limited or Rooprekha Sales Private Limited or by both. In the complaints, the respondents herein and others were arrayed as accused. After the process was issued, the respondents filed various applications under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 ("the code") in the High Court. The High Court disposed of one application being C.R.R. No.4099 of 2011 by a reasoned order. As the same issue was involved in all the applications, the other applications were disposed of in terms of judgment in C.R.R. No.4099 of 2011. Special Leave Petition (Crl.) No.1724 of 2013 was filed challenging the said judgment in C.R.R. No.4099 of 2011. We may, therefore, for the disposal of these appeals, refer to the facts in civil appeal arising out of Special Leave Petition No.1724 of 2013, treating the same as the lead case.


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