JUDGEMENT
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(1.)Leave granted.
(2.)These appeals by special leave are filed by the appellant challenging the impugned judgment and order dated 6th October, 2010 passed by the High Court of Judicature at Bombay in Writ Petition Nos. 614-620 of 2010 whereby the High Court dismissed the writ petitions filed by the appellant seeking quashing of the complaints filed by the Respondent No.2 under Section 138 read with Section 141 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (hereinafter referred to as "the N.I. Act").
(3.)The brief facts of these appeals are that Respondent No. 2, a finance Company, filed seven complaints under the N.I. Act against the appellant and others viz., (1) Complaint No. 3370/SS/2008 claiming Rs.1,64,69,801-14 (2) Complaint No. 3641/SS/2008 claiming Rs.1,06,55,289-91 (3) Complaint No. 3368/SS/2008 claiming Rs. 1,41,95,806-40 (4) 3640/SS/2008 claiming Rs. 85,21,294/- (5) 3369/SS/2008 claiming Rs. 1,88,12,292/- (6) 3642/SS/2008 claiming Rs. 1,69,95,353-50 and (7) Complaint No. 4086/SS/2009 for a claim of Rs. 8,08,973-25. In all the complaints the allegation was that the Respondent No. 2 Company had extended trade finance facility to M/S Elite International Pvt. Ltd. to which the appellant was a Director at the relevant time and several Cheques (119 in number) issued by M/S Elite International Pvt. Ltd. aggregating to Rs.8,64,58,810-16, in discharge of its liability towards part payment, stood dishonoured with the banker's remarks "insufficient funds". According to the complainant, at the material time, the accused (appellant) was in charge and at the helm of affairs of M/S Elite International Pvt. Ltd. and therefore she is vicariously liable for the default of the Company as she is responsible for the conduct of its business. Metropolitan Magistrate, 12th Court, Bandra, Mumbai took cognizance of the complaints and issued process against the accused (appellant) for the offence punishable under Section 138 of the N.I. Act.