Shri. Mohammad Husain Gulam Ahmad v. Shri. Mohammad Ibrahim Gulab Ahmad and 5 Others
Negotiable Instruments Act, S.138 – conviction of original accused
Case brief
What is this about?
Bombay High Court, Nagpur Bench — Criminal Revision Application No. 130 of 2024 (Rajnish R. Vyas, J.; decided 10.10.2025; neutral citation 2025:BHC-NAG:10647). Original accused convicted under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act challenged the appellate order suspending sentence subject to deposit of 20% of the cheque amount and sought dispensation of the deposit, claiming he was a labourer earning Rs. 300/- per day and raising contentions that a Power of Attorney holder had deposed and there was no legally enforceable debt between real brother and sister. Held: affidavit-only poverty claim without evidence is not gospel truth; deposit condition upheld; application dismissed. Keywords: S.138 NI Act, 20% deposit, suspension of sentence, Power of Attorney, legally enforceable debt, Criminal Appeal No. 106/2024.
What did the court decide?
No evidence was brought on record to show that the original accused works as a labourer or is a poor person; a bare statement made on affidavit cannot be read as gospel truth, and the averments in the application are not sufficient to dispense with the requirement of deposit of 20% of the amount.