JUDGMENT :

Ranjan Sharma, J.

Petitioner-accused [Sudarshan Singh] has come up before this Court in Criminal Revision No.397 and 401 of the Criminal Procedure, against the judgment passed by the learned Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class, Rajgarh, District Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh [hereinafter referred to as Trial Court] in CIS Case No.142/2018, titled as HP State Co-operative Bank Ltd. Versus Sh. Sudarshan Singh, decided on 05.12.2022, whereby, the petitioner herein was convicted and sentenced to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of one year and shall also be liable to pay a fine of Rs.6,50,000/- for the commission of offence under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.

2. Feeling aggrieved against the judgment of conviction and sentence passed by the learned Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class, Rajgarh, District Sirmaur [H.P.], the petitioner approached the learned Sessions Judge, Sirmaur District at Nahan, Himachal Pradesh [hereinafter referred to as the Appellate Court], in Criminal Appeal No.03-Cr.A./10 of 2023, which was decided by the aforesaid Court on 01.09.2023, affirming the judgment passed by the learned Trial Court, as referred to above. The conviction and sentence