2016 Supreme(Bom) 1972
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY BENCH AT AURANGABAD
A.I.S. Cheema, J.
Sudam S/o Sampatrao Auti – Appellant
Versus
Rupchand S/o Budhusingh Dhage – Respondent
Criminal Appeal No. 615 of 2003
Decided On : 16-06-2016
For the Appellant : Shri N.K. Kakade.
For the Respondents: Shri Hemant F. Pawar and Shri K.D. Mundhe.
Headnote:Netogiable Instruments Act, 1881 - Section 138-Dishonour of cheque.-Since offence under Section 138 of Act is proved against accused hence order acquitting accused cannot be sustained.
The judgment as recorded by the trial Court is not maintainable and the evidence of the complainant was required to be accepted. The offence under Section 138 of the N.I. Act must be said to be proved against the respondent accused.
Netogiable Instruments Act, 1881 - Section 138, Proviso (b)-Demand notice.-Since complainant come to know about dishonour of cheque on 22.4.1999 hence demand notice sent on 23.4.1999 not barred by limitation.
Section 138 of the N.I. Act requires giving of notice within fifteen days from the receipt of information. Looking to the affidavit of the complainant and the notice issued by him, the trial Court wrongly ignored the oral evidence of the complainant. Complainant had nothing to gain from delaying to send notice. He could have resubmitted the cheques for collection in validity period and gained fresh period. As such Court finds no reason to doubt his oral evidence read with documents.
Netogiable Instruments Act, 1881 - Section 138, Proviso (b)-Demand notice for dishonour of cheque.- Where complainant came to know about dishonour of cheque on 22.4.1999 therefore notice of dishonour sent on 23.4.1999 not barred.
A.I.S. Cheema, J.
1. Appellant Original Complainant has filed this Appeal against dismissal of his Complainant filed under Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 ("N.I. Act" in brief) and the acquittal of Respondent No. 1 Accused.
2. The case of the Complainant as can be seen from the Complainant filed in the trial Court is as under:-
(A) Between Complainant and the Accused there was a transaction regarding sale of Tempo MH-20A-5761. There was an agreement whereby the Accused agreed to purchase the vehicle for Rs. 1,65,000/- (Rupees One Lakh Sixty Five Thousand) from Complainant. On the same day on 15th January, 1999 Accused paid cash of Rs. 35,000/- (Rupees Thirty Five Thousand) and for the balance amount issued following cheques:-
S. No.
Date
Amount
Cheque No.
1.
25.01.1999
Rs. 30,000/-
634676
2.
02.02.1999
Rs. 65,000/-
634677
3.
03.02.1999
Rs. 35,000/-
634678
(B) Complainant claimed that on 20th January, 1999 Accused came and gave cash of Rs. 30,000/- (Rupees Thirty Thousand) to the Complainant and Complainant returned the cheque dated 25th January, 1999. Before Complainant put the cheques of February 1999 in the bank, Complainant requested the Accused that his mother has expired and cheques may be deposited in the month of March. Accordingly, Complainant deposited the remaining two cheques in his bank, Aurangabad District Central Cooperative Bank, branch at T.V. Center, Aurangabad, (hereafter referred as Bank of Complainant at Aurangabad) on 7th March 1999. As the cheques issued by the Accused were from his bank Aurangabad Jalna Gramin Bank, branch Ambhai, Tq. Sillod, (hereafter referred as Bank of Accused) the cheques came to be sent to that branch. The branch at Ambhai dishonoured the cheques and issued memo dated 31st March 1999. The cheques along with memo dated 31st March 1999 came to the bank of the Complainant at Aurangabad on 22nd April 1999 and were received by the Complainant. As the cheques were dishonoured, on 22nd April 1999 itself Complainant sent notice by Registered Post. Notice was also sent Under Certificate of Posting. The acknowledgement of receipt of the Registered Post Notice came back to the Complainant on 8th May 1999 which showed that the Accused has received the notice. The Accused did not pay within fifteen days of the receipt of the notice, thus the Complaint was filed.
3. In the trial Court Complainant filed his affidavit of evidence and was cross-examined. The concerned documents were exhibited. The trial Court considered the evidence which was brought on record and acquitted the Accused, mainly on the ground that notice was not issued within fifteen days of the dishonour of the cheques and thus the notice was not legal and proper.
4. Aggrieved by the dismissal of the Complaint and acquittal of the Accused, present Appeal is filed.
5. It is claimed and it has been argued by the learned counsel for the Appellant-Complainant that the Complaint was filed within limitation and the trial Court has wrongly interpreted the law. The slips regarding dishonour of cheques were received by the bank of the Complainant at Aurangabad on 22nd April 1999 and the Complainant came to know about the dishonour only on 22nd April 1999 and evidence was led regarding this but the trial Court wrongly interpreted the documents and evidence and wrongly acquitted the Accused. The learned counsel for the Appellant submitted that the trial Court wrongly attributed knowledge to the Appellant as of 31st March 1999 which was the date on which the bank of Accused at Ambhai dishonoured the cheques. The bank of Accused issued the dishonour slip Exhibit 46 on 31st March 1999 which came to the bank at Aurangabad through Branch of Aurangabad District Central Cooperative Bank, branch Ambhai, which is clear from the memo Exhibit 45. The documents naturally took time to reach Aurangabad br