RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT
Jaipur Bench
B.S. Yadav Vs. State of Rajasthan & Anr. (Bhandari, J.)
HON'BLE M.N. BHANDARI, J.
B.S. Yadav
Versus
State of Rajasthan & Anr.
S.B. Criminal Misc. Petition No.4627 of 2014, decided on 19.11.2014
Misc. petition dismissed. (Paras 6, 9 to 11)
ijØkE; fy[kr vf/kfu;e] 1881] /kkjk 138] 142 & vf/kfu;e dh /kkjk 138 ds rgr ifjokn la/kkfjr djus esa gq, foyEc dks ekQ djus dh U;kf;d eftLVªsV dh vf/kdkfjrk & fnukad 7-8-2006 dks pSd dk vuknj.k & iaftd`r Mkd ds tfj;s fnukad 20-8-2006 dks dkuwuh uksfVl izsf"kr fd;k & bldh j'khn ds ckjs esa Mkd foHkkx us lwpuk ugha nh & fnukad 10-10-2006 dks nwljk iaftd`r uksfVl izsf"kr fd;k & bldh j'khn ds ckjs esa iqu% dksbZ lwpuk ugha nh xbZ & fnukad 8-11-2006 dks /kkjk 138 ds rgr ifjokn nk;j fd;k & fnukad 4-9-2006 dks bldh j'khn ds ckjs esa nsjh ls bldh lwpuk nh xbZ & foyEc ekQh ds lkFk ifjokn xzg.k fd;k x;k & vfHkfu/kkZfjr & f}rh; uksfVl ekU; ugha D;ksafd ys[khoky }kjk uksfVl tkjh djus rFkk mldh j'khn ds lkFk dsoy ,d ckj gh okn gsrq mRiUu gksrk gS & /kkjk 142 leqfpr ekeyksa esa vihy la/kkfjr djus esa gq, foyEc dks ekQ djus gsrq U;k;ky; dks foosdkf/kdkj iznku djrk gS & foyEc ekQh nsuk lgh Fkk] ;|fi bls ifjlhek vf/kfu;e dh /kkjk 5 ds rgr vkosnu ij ugha gksuk pkfg;s FkkA fel- ;kfpdk [kkfjt dhA ¼in la[;k 6] 9 ls 11½
2. It is stated that the complaint filed by the non-petitioner was barred by limitation, thus the Court below should have dismissed it. The court below even failed to consider that notice cannot be given twice to make out a case under Section 138 of NI Act. A reference of the judgment of the Apex Court in the case of Tameeshwar Vaishnav vs. Ramvishal Gupta, (2010) 2 SCC 329 = 2010(1) RLW 873 (SC), is given.
3. It is further stated that the cheque was not issued by the petitioner, thus it does not contain his signature. Even the bank account, for which the cheque was issued, does not belong to the petitioner. In the background aforesaid also, the complaint deserves to be quashed.
4. I have considered the submissions made by the Counsel for the petitioner and perused the record.
5. If the facts of the case are looked into, the cheque sent by the petitioner for its encashment was dishonoured by the bank on 07.08.2006. A legal notice through registered post was sent on 20.08.2006. When the information about receipt of notice was not given by the Postal Department, the petitioner sent another registered notice on 10.10.2006. The information about the receipt of it was also not given. A complaint was then filed on 08.11.2006. The second notice was given in absence of the information regarding receipt of first notice. It is however a fact that when the non-petitioner tried to find out the status of first notice, then lately he was informed about its receipt on 04.09.2006. If the date aforesaid is taken into consideration,the complaint was to be filed beyond limitation, but in absence of information of receipt by the Postal Department, the complainant was left with no option but to send a second notice. Looking to the facts aforesaid, the complaint was entertained with condonation of delay.
6. So far as the judgment of the Apex Court in the case of Tameeshwar Vaishnav(supra) is concerned, it is true that second notice is not tenable as the cause of action arises only once with issuance of notice and receipt thereof by the drawer. Therein, first notice was given on 30.03.2006 and was served, whereas the complaint was filed lately on 10.07.2006. The facts of that case are different than the facts of this case because therein information about the receipt of notice was received by the complainant, yet he did not file the complaint within time whereas, in this case, information of receipt was given lately. Thus, on those facts, the case was decided by the Apex Court.
7. In the background aforesaid, if the complaint has been entertained, it is after considering the lapse of the Postal Department in not furnishing information to the complainant about receipt of notice. The delay was excu-sed and the aforesaid facts have been considered by the Revisional Court.
8. It is necessary to refer the amended provisions of Section 142 of Negotiable Instruments Act and is quoted hereunder for ready reference:
“142.Cognizance of offences. —Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974)—
(a) No court shall take cognizance of any offence punishable under section 138 except upon a complaint, in writing, made by the payee or, as the case may be, the holder in due course of the cheque;
(b) Such complaint is made within one month of the date on which the cause of action arises under clause (c) of the proviso to section 138:
(Provided that the cognizance of a complaint may be taken by the Court after the prescribed period, if the complainant satisfies the Court that he had sufficient cause for not making a complaint within such period.)
(c) No court i
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