Judgment :-

Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla, J.

The appellant/accused is aggrieved by the judgment dated 17.03.2010 passed in Criminal Appeal No.1707/2007 of the High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam. The respondent herein preferred a complaint against the appellant under Section 142 of the Negotiable Instruments Act (hereinafter called ‘the Act’) for an offence punishable under Section 138 of the Act. According to the complainant, the appellant/accused entrusted the work of construction of an Old Age Home and a Chapel at Punnaveli, Pathanamthitta District based on an agreement between the appellant and the respondent. According to the respondent, the appellant issued a post dated cheque for Rs.25 lakhs in favour of the respondent towards the outstanding amount due to him for the work done by him. The cheque was dated 21.03.2005. It was claimed that when the cheque was presented by the respondent with his bankers, the same was dishonoured due to insufficiency of funds in the account of the appellant. It was further claimed that though the respondent intimated about the dishonour of the cheque by a lawyer’s notice dated 30.03.2005 served on the appellant on 31.03.2005, she came forward w