Yog Raj v. Nishant Kaushal and Anr.
Case brief
What is this about?
Section 138 Negotiable Instrument Act / N.I. Act; dishonour of cheque; cheque No. 119194 dated 16.7.2015; compounding of offence; compromise/settlement between parties; acquittal on compounding; compounding fee 12% of cheque amount; deposit with H.P. State Legal Services Authority and H.P. High Court Staff Welfare Organization; automatic revival of conviction on default; Cr. Revision No. 517 of 2025; Cr.M.P. No. 3978 of 2025; Criminal Appeal No. 80 of 2022; Criminal Case No. 335-II16/2015; Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Una; Additional Sessions Judge-II Una; compensation Rs. 6,73,000/-; deposit Rs. 1,38,000/-.
What did the court decide?
Revision petition allowed: judgment of conviction dated 14.7.2022 and order of sentence dated 16.7.2022 of the trial Court, and their affirmance by the Appellate Court (judgment dated 30.1.2023), set aside; petitioner/accused acquitted of the offence under Section 138 of the N.I. Act, subject to payment of 12% of the cheque amount as compounding fee (half to Member Secretary, H.P. State Legal Services Authority, Shimla, half to H.P. High Court Staff Welfare Organization, Shimla, within eight weeks); Cr.M.P. No. 3978 of 2025 (permission to compound) allowed; bail bonds ordered discharged; pending application(s) disposed of. Non-deposit of compounding fee within time results in deemed dismissal of the petition and automatic revival of the conviction and sentence.