HIGH COURT OF ORISSA
V. GOPALA GOWDA AND B.N. MAHAPATRA, JJ.
Sri Kailash Chandra Mishra - Petitioner
Versus
Shri Ajitsinh Ulhasrao Babar and others - Opp. Parties
W.P. (Crl.) No. 138 of 2005
Decided On : 22nd February, 2011
2. NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS ACT, 1881 - Sec. 138 - Notice must be served upon the addressee is the mandatory requirement to constitute an offence under Sec. 138 of the Act - Merely because of an endorsement on the unserved cover containing the noting that "the addressee was absent and the notice was returned unserved" cannot be a ground to constitute that there is a deemed service of notice upon the petitioner. (Para - 13)
3. NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS ACT, 1881 - Sec. 138 - Constitution of India - Cheque was issued by the petitioner at Balasore - Cheque dishonoured at Bhubaneswar, cause of action had taken place in the State of Orissa - Institution of complaint at Daman in the State of Uttaranchal is not maintainable - Further held, in view of amendment to Art. 226 of the Constitution the writ petition filed before High Court, questioning the correctness of the same and seeking to quash the proceedings initiated at Daman, is maintainable. (Para - 15)
Key Points: - The Principal Officer cannot re-delegate authority to file NI Act complaints through a Power of Attorney; such filing may be incompetent (!) . - Notice under NI Act Section 138(b)/(c) must be served on the addressee; an endorsement that the addressee was absent does not automatically constitute deemed service; proper service is mandatory for cognizance (!) (!) . - The cause of action for the cheque dishonour arose in Orissa (Balasore/Bhubaneswar), making the Daman (Uttaranchal) proceeding not maintainable; the High Court has jurisdiction to entertain a writ petition challenging such proceedings under Article 226 (!) (!) (!) .
ORDER
22.2.2011 - The petitioner is before this Court seeking for issuance of a writ of certiorari and to quash the Criminal Case No. 83/2004 pending before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Daman in the State of Uttaranchal and further issuance of a direction upon the opposite party No. 1 not to take any action against the petitioner so far as the business transaction with the opposite party No. 2 is concerned with reference to the cheque which has been given to the opposite party towards security.
2. The facts of the case in brief are that the petitioner is a proprietor of M/s. Premier Distributors situated at Plot No. N/4, 169, IRC Village, Nayapalli, Bhubaneswar, dealing with materials including plastic goods in the Districts of Cuttack, Balasore and Jagatsinghpur by opening different branches in the above places. He is doing business since long by establishing its firm. During the business transaction, petitioner and the opposite party-company entered into an agreement with the terms that the opposite party-company will supply the goods to the petitioner on credit with security of Bank cheque without giving date and amount and payment of cost of goods will be paid by installments basis after its sale in the market. Accordingly opposite party-company supplied the goods to the petitioner since January, 2003 from its plant at Januganj, Balasore, Orissa by issuing invoices and bills and payment was made time to time by draft and cheque and also cash to the authorized representative of the opposite party No. 2 till 31st December, 2003. It is stated that during the transaction between the petitioner and the opposite party No. 2, payment has been made through Bank drafts, cheques against cost of the goods supplied to the petitioner. Opposite party No. 2 has also issued acknowledgment of acceptance of cheques and drafts and also cash from time to time. When the petitioner hard pressed to supply the reconciliation statement for finalization of accounts, the opposite party No. 2 intimated the petitioner that in future all the payment should be made through bank drafts to meet the immediate requirement of the establishment. On the demand of the petitioner, the opposite party No. 2 did not submit the reconcile statement adjusting the defective goods received back by them and tried to avoid it with a mala fide intention to cheat the petitioner and to avoid to receive the defective goods and also to face the customers grievances. Thereafter the petitioner immediately told them not to use the cheque, which has been deposited with the opposite party No. 2 as security in future without reconciling the account statement. As opposite party No. 2 did not reply to the petitioner, he immediately wrote another letter confirming that if no reconciliation statement of accounts will be received within 7 days of receipt of the letter, he will not be responsible for any other liabilities and will take legal action against them. All of a sudden, after lapse of one and half years, the petitioner received a notice from the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate First Class, Daman through the District Superintendent of Police, Bhubaneswar along with copy of Criminal Case No. 83 of 2004 to appear before the learned Magistrate on 6.4.2005. On a perusal of the Criminal case, it came to the knowledge of the petitioner that opposite party No. 1 styling himself as Power of Attorney Holder of opposite party No. 2 has preferred the complaint petition before the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate First Class, Daman alleging that the petitioner has committed offence under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 read with Section 142 of the Cr.P.C. for having dishonoured the cheque. The same is produced along with the notice. It is indicated in the complaint petition that opposite party No. 1 has utilized the cheque which was submitted to the opposite party No. 2 at the time of business transaction as security of supply of goods giving date and an amount of Rs. 1
(2009) 1 SCC 720 : Harman v. National
(1999) 7 SCC 510 : K. Bhaskaran v. Sankaran
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