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NC: 2023:KHC-K:6608
CRL.A No. 200076 of 2017
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
KALABURAGI BENCH
DATED THIS THE 22ND DAY OF AUGUST, 2023
BEFORE
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VENKATESH NAIK T
CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. 200076 OF 2017 (378)
BETWEEN:
1.
BASAPPA
S/O. GURUSIDDAPPA GALAGALI
SINCE DEAD BY LRS.
1(A) RUDRAMBIKA
W/O. LATE BASAPPA GALAGALI
AGE ABOUT: 75 YEARS, OCC: HOMEMAKER
1(B) RAJENDRA
S/O. LATE BASAPPA GALAGALI
AGE: 52 YEARS, OCC: MEDICAL PRACTITIONER,
BOTH R/O. NEAR BUS STAND NALATWAD
TQ. MUDDEBIHAL,
DIST. VIJAYAPURA-586212
1(C) SMT. JAYASHREE
D/O. LATE BASAPPA GALAGALI
W/O. MALLIKARJUN TARAPUR,
AGE: 50 YEARS, OCC: HOMEMAKER
R/O. BANDAL CROSS, SINDAGI,
DIST. VIJAYAPUR-586128.
Digitally signed
by SHILPA R
TENIHALLI
Location: HIGH
COURT OF
KARNATAKA
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NC: 2023:KHC-K:6608
CRL.A No. 200076 of 2017
1(D) GANESH
S/O. LATE BASAPPA GALAGALI
AGE: 47 YEARS, OCC: MEDICAL PRACTITIONER
R/O NEAR BUS STAND, NALATWAD,
TQ. MUDDEBIHAL, DIST. VIJAYAPURA-586212.
…APPELLANTS
(BY SRI. KADLOOR SATYANARAYANACHARYA, ADVOCATE)
AND:
DUNDAPPA
S/O. GUNDAPPA TOTAD
AGED ABOUT: 72 YEARS,
OCC: RETIRED SERVANT & CONTRACTOR
R/O. VIJAYAPURA BUILDING KALYANAGAR,
BLDE COLLEGE ROAD,
VIJAYAPURA
TQ & DIST: VIJAYAPURA-586101
…RESPONDENT
(BY SRI. R S LAGALI, ADVOCATE)
THIS CRL.A. IS FILED U/S.378(4) OF PRAYING TO, ALLOW
THIS APPEAL AND SET ASIDE THE JUDGMENT AND ORDER OF
ACQUITTAL DATED:05.05.2017 PASSED IN C.C.NO.164/2007
ON THE FILE OF THE HON'BLE COURT OF JMFC, MUDDEBIHAL
AND TO PASS ALL OTHER APPROPRIATE ORDER AS MAY BE
NECESSARY IN THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE
CASE
THIS APPEAL COMING ON FOR FINAL HEARING AND
HAVING BEEN HEARD AND RESERVED ON 10.08.2023,
COMING ON FOR PRONOUNCEMENT THIS DAY, THIS COURT
DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
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NC: 2023:KHC-K:6608
CRL.A No. 200076 of 2017
The complainant-appellant has filed this appeal under
Section 378(4) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (for
short 'Cr.P.C.'), praying to set aside the judgment and
order
of
acquittal
dated
05.05.2017
passed
in
C.C.No.164/2007 by learned JMFC, Muddebihal (for short
'Trial Court').
2.
For the sake of convenience, the parties are
referred to as per their ranking before trial Court. The
appellant is complainant and respondent is accused.
3.
The brief facts of the complainant's case are as
under:
The complainant filed a private complaint under
Section 200 of Cr.P.C., for the offence punishable under
Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (for short
'N.I. Act'), contending that, the accused had borrowed loan
of Rs.5,00,000/- from the complainant and in consideration
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thereof, accused issued cheque bearing No.398767 dated
16.08.2006 drawn on Sri Siddeshwar Co-operative Bank
Limited, Vijayapura, in favour of complainant, said cheque
was presented for encashment, but, returned with shara
'account closed', thus, on 16.02.2007, complainant issued
legal notice calling upon the accused to pay amount due
under the cheque, but, accused neither reply to the legal
notice nor paid amount due under the cheque, hence,
complainant filed a private complaint under Section 200 of
Cr.P.C. for the offence punishable under Section 138 of N.I.
Act.
4.
After institution of the complaint, the Trial Court
recorded the sworn statement of the complainant, took
cognizance under Section 190(1)(a) of Cr.P.C., secured the
presence of accused and recorded plea of accused; accused
pleaded not guilty and claimed to be tried.
5.
The complainant in order to prove his case,
examined himself as PW.1 before Trial Court and got
marked the documents as Exs.P1 to P11, the complainant
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also examined his son Ganesh as PW.2. The accused was
examined under Section 313 of Cr.P.C. and his answers
were recorded. In order to rebut the claim of complainant,
accused himself examined as DW.1 and he also got marked
10 documents as Exs.D1 to D10.
6.
On the basis of the oral and documentary
evidence, the Trial Court acquitted accused for the offence
punishable under Section 138 of N.I. Act, holding that, the
complainant has failed to prove the ingredients of Section
138 of N.I. Act.
7.
Aggrieved by the judgment of acquittal passed
by the Trial Court, the complainant has filed this appeal
contending that the judgment of acquittal passed by the
Trial Court is not in accordance with law; the complainant
proved the requirements of Section 138 of N.I. Act, as
accused admitted issuance of cheque - Ex.P1 and his
signature on Ex.P1, service of legal notice upon him; the
Trial Court ought to have drawn presumption available
under Section 139 of N.I. Act and convicted the accused.
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But, the Trial Court held that, the alleged transactions are
not established and the complainant had no capacity to
lend loan and the amount due is not legally recoverable
debt, accordingly, acquitted the accused without drawing
presumption available under Section 139 of N.I. Act. It is
contended that, the complainant has discharged initial
burden casted upon him, but, the accused has not
discharged the burden. The Trial Court has wrongly held
that, the complainant had no capacity to lend loan to
accused, but, the complainant has placed sufficient material
to
show
that,
complainant
contributed
a
sum
of
Rs.1,22,000/-
and
his
son
contributed
a
sum
of
Rs.3,88,000/- and in all, the complainant paid a sum of
Rs.5,00.000/- to the accused. In fact, the complainant and
his son are Medical Practitioners by profession, they have
sufficient income and source, as on the date of transaction.
The Trial Court has wrongly held that, accused has handed
over the cheque in question to Ayyappa Kambi, who is none
other than father-in-law of PW.2, but, Ayyappa Kambi has
misused the cheque and handed over the same to
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complainant. But, no complaint has been lodged by
accused ag
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