IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Anil Verma and another ....Petitioners V/s State of Haryana and another ....Respondents (2) CRM-M-20572-2024 (O&M)

Anil Verma and another ....Petitioners V/s State of Haryana ....Respondent Date of decision: 12.02.2026 Date of uploading: 12.02.2026 CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL Present: Mr. S.K. Tripathi, Advocate for the petitioners.

Mr. Gurmeet Singh, AAG, Haryana.

Mr. Balkar Singh, Advocate for the complainant.

*****

SUMEET GOEL, J. (Oral)

1. The present petition bearing No.CRM-M-19664-2024 has been filed impugning the order dated 16.12.2017 & judgment dated 14.12.2021 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Gurugram & the judgment as also the order of sentence dated 04/05.07.2014 passed by learned Judicial Magistrate 1^st Class, Gurugram whereby the petitioner has been convicted and sentenced for offence under Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

2. Learned counsel for the petitioners has submitted that during the pendency of proceedings, the petitioners and the complainant have entered into a settlement/compromise dated 09.04.2024 (copy whereof appended as Annexure P-5 with the present petition). Learned counsel for the petitioners has further submitted that since the parties have amicably settled their dispute(s), the matter may be compounded and the petitioners be acquitted.

3. Learned counsel appearing for the complainant has ratified the factum of compromise/settlement having been arrived at between the parties and has further vouched the genuineness of the compromise/settlement dated 09.04.2024 stated to be arrived between the parties. Accordingly, he has iterated that the complainant has no objection in case the offence is permitted to be compounded and the petitioners are ordered to be acquitted.

4. I have heard learned counsel for the rival parties and have perused the available record.

5. It would be apposite to refer herein to a judgment passed by three Judge Bench of the Hon’ble Supreme Court titled as Damodar S. Prabhu vs. Sayed Babalal H., AIR 2010(SC) 1907, relevant whereof reads thus:

“15. With regard to the progression of litigation in cheque bouncing cases, the learned Attorney General has urged this Court to frame guidelines for a graded scheme of imposing costs on parties who unduly delay compounding of the offence. It was submitted that the requirement of deposit of the costs will act as a deterrent for delayed composition, since at present, free and easy compounding of offences at any stage, however belated, gives an incentive to the drawer of the cheque to delay settling the cases for years. An application for compounding made after several years not only results in the system being burdened but the complainant is also deprived of effective justice. In view of this submission, we direct that the following guidelines be followed:-

THE GUIDELINES (i) In the circumstances, it is proposed as follows:

(a) That directions can be given that the Writ of Summons be suitably modified making it clear to the accused that he could make an application for compounding of the offences at the first or second hearing of the case and that if such an application is made, compounding may be allowed by the court without imposing any costs on the accused.

(b) If the accused does not make an application for compounding as aforesaid, then if an application for compounding is made before the Magistrate at a subsequent stage, compounding can be allowed subject to the condition that the accused will be required to pay 10% of the cheque amount to be deposited as a condition for compounding with the Legal Services Authority, or such authority as the Court deems fit.

(c) Similarly, if the application for compounding is made before the Sessions Court or a High Court in revision or appeal, such compounding may be allowed on the condition that the accused pays 15% of the cheque amount by way of costs.

(d) Finally, if the application for compounding is made before th