[2026:RJ-JD:13469]

HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT JODHPUR S.B. Criminal Misc(Pet.) No. 1145/2026 Manoj Kumar Soni S/o Nathuram Soni, Aged About 60 Years, Poogal Road, Hanuman Ji Mandir Wali Gali, Bangla Nagar, Bikaner, Rajasthan ----Petitioner Versus

1. State Of Rajasthan, Through Pp

2. Sampat Lal Soni S/o Shri Fusaram Soni, Mukhya Indra Chouk, Gangashahar, Bikaner, Rajasthan ----Respondents For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Himanshu Pareek For Respondent(s) : Mr. N.S. Chandawat, AGA HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE FARJAND ALI

Order

19/03/2026

1. By way of filing the instant misc. petition, a challenge has been made to the order dated 08.01.2026 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge No.6, Bikaner in Criminal Appeal No.3/2026, whereby the application under Section 430 of BNSS filed by the petitioner was allowed with the condition to deposit

20% of fine amount.

2. Heard learned counsel for the parties and gone through the material as made available to this Court.

3. After conviction under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instrument Act, the petitioner moved an appeal along with an allowed vide order dated 08.01.2026 imposing a condition of depositing 20% of the fine amount awarded by the trial Court.

2. The grievance of the petitioner is that in view of the mandate of law and the judgment passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Jamboo Bhandari Vs. M.P. State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. reported in (2023) 10 SCC 446, the direction to deposit 20% of the compensation amount is discretionary in nature and, therefore, the petitioner may be directed to deposit

10% of the cheque amount.

3. A co-ordinate Bench of this Court in S.B. Criminal Misc. Petition No. 7315/2024 (Pradeep Tusawda Vs. Bheraram Khatik) decided on 21.10.2024 has held that the requirement of deposit of 20% under Section 148 of the N.I. Act is not absolute and the appellate court can relax or dispense with such condition in appropriate cases to avoid frustration of the right of appeal.

4. In view of the limited prayer made, the legal position governing the field and the law enunciated by the Hon’ble Supreme Court as well as by this Court, this Court deems it appropriate to make a limited modification in the impugned order.

5. Accordingly, the present petition is partly allowed and the order dated 08.01.2026 passed by the learned appellate court is modified to the extent that the petitioner shall deposit 10% of the cheque amount instead of 20% of the fine/compensation amount, within the period stipulated by the learned appellate court.

6. However, in case the period so stipulated has already expired, the learned court below shall, upon presentation of a certified copy of this order, grant a further period of 30 days to the petitioner for depositing the aforesaid amount.

7. All pending applications, if any, stand disposed of.

(FARJAND ALI),J

128-poojatak/-