Leave granted.

2. The case involves a settlement of the money claim during the pend­ency of a criminal appeal arising out of proceedings under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The main appeal, namely, Criminal Appeal No. 59/99, against the conviction is pending before the VIth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Secunderabad in the matter arising under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. That is an appeal against the order dated 8.2.99 of the XVth Metropolitan Magistrate, Hyderabad, sentencing the appellant No. 2, representing the firm, to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 6 months and further to pay a fine of Rs. 10,000/- or in default, to ­undergo simple imprisonment for a further period of 3 months. There is also a direc­tion against the 2nd appellant representing the 1st appellant Company, to pay a fine of Rs. 10,000/- or in default to undergo simple impris­onment for 3 months. The appeal against the conviction and sentence is pending as aforesaid, before the VIth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Secunderabad.

3. At that stage, it appears that some ­interlocutory applications were filed by the ­appellants in the trial Court and the said a