KALYANI BASKAR Vs. M S SAMPORNAM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Leave granted.

(2.) This appeal by special leave, directed against the order dated 10.2.2004 of the High Court of Judicature at Madras, involves a question with regard to the scope of the powers of the Magistrate under Section 243 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (hereinafter referred to as Cr.P.C.). It arises out of these circumstances.

(3.) A complaint has been preferred by Mrs. M. S. Sampoornam, complainant-respondent herein, against Mrs. Kalyani Baskar, appellant herein, and her husband for the offence under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (for short "the Act") before the Judicial Magistrate, Tambaram, Chennai, alleging that the appellant along with her husband jointly signed and issued a cheque No. 037296 for discharging their liability. On presentation of the said cheque, it was dishonoured for insufficient funds. Though the notice was served upon both the accused persons yet no reply has been sent by them. Thereafter, observing all the formalities as contemplated under the Act, the complainant-respondent had preferred C.C. No. 439/1998 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate, Tambaram, Chennai, against the appellant and her husband. The accused appeared before the Magistrate and filed an application under Section 245 of Cr.P.C. raising inter alia preliminary objections that:- (1) the accused has not signed the cheque nor issued it to the complainant-respondent; (2) the cheque, in question, was drawn from the individual account of the accused and therefore, as alleged by the complainant, the accused and her husband could not have jointly signed and issued the cheque; (3) the signature on the cheque may be sent for expert opinion to ascertain bona fide of the same; and (4) neither the appellant nor her husband owe any debt to the respondent.