Sadh Ram Vs Punjab National Bank Bagipul

Petitioner – Sadh Ram has filed the present Criminal Revision against the judgment dated 11.07.2024, passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Kinnaur at Rampur Bushehar, District Shimla, H.P. (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Appellate Court’), in Criminal Appeal No. 36 of 2024, titled as ‘Sadh Ram Vs Punjab National Bank, Branch Office Bagipul’.

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By way of judgment dated 11.07.2024, the learned Appellate Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the petitioner against the judgment of conviction and order

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1 Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? Yes.

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of sentence dated 07.03.2024, passed by the Court of learned Judicial Magistrate First Class, Anni, District Kullu, H.P., (hereinafter referred to as the ‘trial Court’), in Criminal Comp. No. 132 of 2018, titled as ‘Punjab National Bank, Branch Office Bagipul Vs Sadh Ram’.

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Vide judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 07.03.2024, the learned trial Court has convicted the petitioner, for the offence, punishable under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act (hereinafter referred to as the ‘NI Act’) and sentenced him to undergo simple imprisonment, for a period of one year and to pay a fine/compensation of Rs. 9,16,879/ to the complainant and in default shall undergo simple imprisonment for a period of six months.

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After dismissal of the appeal by the learned Appellate Court, the present Criminal Revision has been preferred.

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During the pendency of the present petition, the parties have settled the matter. Thereafter, the petitioner has filed application bearing Cr.MP No. 5383 of 2025, along with No Due Certificate Annexure A1, for permitting

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the parties to compound the offence, on the ground that the matter has been settled between them.

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Statements of the petitioner, as well as, the learned Counsel for the respondentcomplainant bank, have been recorded, in which, they both have deposed that the dispute with regard to Cheque No. 511712, dated 06.06.2018, has been settled between the parties. The entire settlement amount has been paid and nothing is due qua cheque No. 511712, dated 06.06.2018.

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Today, the accused (petitioner) is present before this Court. He has deposed that he has been convicted and sentenced by the learned trial Court vide judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 07.03.2024.

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Against the said judgment of conviction and order of sentence, the petitioner had filed the appeal before the learned Appellate Court and the learned Appellate Court has dismissed his appeal. Now, he is before this Court, by way of the present Criminal Revision.

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In addition to this, the accused (petitioner) has also submitted that during the pendency of the Criminal Revision, the matter has been compromised between him and the complainant bank and nothing is due against him.

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In this regard, bank has issued the No Due Certificate, Annexure A1.

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The petitioneraccused has also deposed that on the basis of the said compromise, the present petition may kindly be allowed by setting aside the judgment of conviction and order of sentence, referred to above, and he may kindly be acquitted of the charge.

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Learned Counsel for the respondent has also made the similar statement. He has deposed that the respondentBank, has no objection, in case, the present petition is allowed and the petitioneraccused is acquitted by setting aside the judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 07.03.2024.

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On the basis of the above statements, one thing is clear that the matter has been settled between the parties and in pursuance of the said settlement, complainant has received the entire amount of compensation from the petitioner.

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According to the respondentcomplainant, the dispute with regard to Cheque No. 511712 dated 06.06.2018, has been settled between the parties.

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Since, the matter, with regard to cheque, in question, has been settled between the parties, as such, the application, bearing Cr.MP No.5383 of 2025, is allowed and the parties are permitted to compound the offence.

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Considering the fact that the application for compounding of the offence has been allowed, the present petition is allowed and the judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 07.03.2024, passed by learned trial Court in Comp. 138 N.I. Act No. 132/2018, which has been affirmed by learned Appellate Court, in Criminal Appeal No. 36/2024, vide judgment dated 11.07.2024, are set aside and the petitioner is acquitted from the offence, punishable under Section 138 NI Act. His personal and surety bonds are discharged.

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However, this order shall be subject to deposit of 7.5% of the cheque amount, as compounding fee, within ten weeks from today. 50% of the compounding fee be deposited with the Member Secretary, H.P. State Legal Services Authority, Shimla, and remaining 50% with the H.P. High Court Staff Welfare Organization, Shimla.

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It is further clarified that if the petitioner fails to deposit the compounding fee, as ordered by this Court,

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within ten weeks, then, the present petition shall be deemed to have been dismissed, by reviving the judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 07.03.2024, passed by learned trial Court and in that eventuality, he shall surrender before the learned trial Court to undergo the substantive sentence, imposed upon him, by the learned trial Court.

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Pending miscellaneous applications, if any,

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shall also stand disposed of.

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(Virender Singh)

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Judge

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05^th December, 2025

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(Pramod Kumar)

Sadh Ram v. Punjab National Bank Bagipul

Case brief

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Sadh Ram v. Punjab National Bank Bagipul

Case brief

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