JUDGEMENT
GURDEV SINGH, J. -
(1.) HEARD .
(2.) THE complaint-respondent No. 1 filed complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act") against the petitioner-accused.
According to the complainant, for discharging the previous liability, the accused issued Cheque
No. 792459 dated 18.9.1997 for '1,03,400/- drawn on State Bank of Patiala, Mathura Road,
Faridabad, which on presentment to the banker of the accused was dishonoured on account of
insufficient funds in his account and he failed to pay that amount of the cheque in spite of the
issuance of the statutory notice. The accused was convicted for that offence by JMIC, Faridabad,
vide judgment dated 28.11.2001 and was sentenced to undergo imprisonment for a period of one
year and to pay a fine of ' 5000/- and in default thereof to further undergo imprisonment for a
period of one month. The accused preferred an appeal against that conviction and sentence, which
was partly accepted by the Additional Sessions Judge, Faridabad, and while maintaining the
conviction, the sentence of one year was reduced to 09 months, vide judgment dated 17.9.2002.
Against that conviction and sentence, the accused preferred the present revision.
In the course of proceedings, application was filed by the accused for permission to compound the offence on the ground that a compromise has already been effected between him and the
complainant. As per the guidelines laid down by Hon'ble the Supreme Court in Damodar S.
Prabhu vs. Sayed Babalal H. 2010 (2) RCR (Criminal) 851, the accused was directed to pay 15%
of the. cheque amount as costs. Keeping in view the financial position of the accused, he was
directed to pay half of that amount and according to him he has deposited ' 15,000/- in the Registry
of this Court.
(3.) STATEMENT of the complainant has been recorded wherein he stated that he has already compounded the offence with the accused. As per Section 147 of that Act, the offence under
Section 138 of the Act is compoundable. It is well settled that the offence can be compounded
even in the revision. As a result of the composition, the accused is acquitted of the offence under
Section 138 of the Act. The fine, if already deposited, be refunded to him. Records of the trial
court be returned forthwith.;
Click here to view full judgement.
Copyright © Regent Computronics Pvt.Ltd.