The High Court may exercise its inherent jurisdiction to extend strict timelines imposed by lower appellate courts for depositing compensation when the failure to comply is due to substantiated medical exigencies.

ORDER

Aggrieved by Annexure A1 judgment passed by the Court of the Judicial First Class Magistrate – I, Kollam (Trial Court) in ST No.409/2022, a complaint filed by the 2^nd respondent alleging the commission of the offence punishable under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act (for short 'N.I Act'), the petitioner has preferred Crl.Appeal No.216/2025 before the Appellate Court, Kollam. Along with the appeal, the petitioner also filed an application to suspend the execution of the sentence. By Annexure A3 order, the Appellate Court has suspended the execution of sentence, subject to the condition that he has to deposit 20% of the compensation amount within the statutory period. As the petitioner is suffering from hypertension and diabetes, he could not deposit the compensation amount within the stipulated time limit. However, he is ready and willing to deposit the said amount. Therefore, he may be granted some more time to raise the necessary funds. Hence, the Crl.M.C.

2. I have heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Public Prosecutor. As the Crl.M.C. is filed for extension of the time for depositing the compensation amount, notice to the 2^nd respondent is dispensed with.

3. By Annexure A3 order, the Appellate Court directed the petitioner to deposit 20% of the compensation amount within sixty days from 22.12.2025.

4. It is the specific case of the petitioner that, as he was laid up due to hypertension and diabetes, which stands corroborated by Annexure A4 medical certificate, he could not raise the amount within the stipulated period. Nonetheless, he is ready and willing to deposit the said amount, provided he is granted thirty more days. I find the above request to be reasonable and justifiable.

5. In the aforesaid circumstances and for the reasons mentioned above, in exercise of the inherent jurisdiction of this Court under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, in supersession of the time period fixed in Annexure A3 order, I enlarge the time period to deposit 20% of the compensation amount till 04.07.2026. If the petitioner deposits the compensation amount within 04.07.2026, the execution of the sentence will stand suspended, provided the petitioner also executes a bond for Rs.25,000/- with two solvent sureties for the like sum to the satisfaction of the trial court.

The Crl.M.C is disposed of as above.