Meen Singh Vs Asha Ram

IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA

Criminal Revision No. 568 of 2024 Date of Decision: 17.06.2026

_______________________________________________________ Meen Singh …….Petitioner Versus Asha Ram … Respondent
_______________________________________________________ Coram: Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sandeep Sharma, Judge. Whether approved for reporting?¹
For the Petitioner: Mr. Vinod Chauhan, Advocate.
For the Respondent: Mr. Parkash Sharma, Advocate.
_______________________________________________________ Sandeep Sharma, Judge (oral):

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Instant Criminal Revision Petition filed under Section 442

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of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, lays challenge to judgment dated 25.07.2024, passed by learned Additional Sessions Judge, Paonta Sahib, District Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh, in Criminal Appeal No.146-N of 10 of 2024, affirming judgment of conviction dated 02.08.2023 and order of sentence dated 09.08.2023, passed by learned Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Shillai, District Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh, in Complaint No.12/03 of 2019/2017, whereby learned trial Court, while holding the petitioner-accused (hereinafter, ‘accused’) guilty of having committed offence punishable under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, (for short ‘Act’) convicted and sentenced him to undergo simple imprisonment for a

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1 Whether the reporters of the local papers may be allowed to see the judgment?

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period of six months and pay compensation to the tune of Rs. 8,80,000/to the respondent-complainant ( hereinafter, ‘complainant’).

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Precisely, the facts of the case, as emerge from the pleadings as well as other material adduced on record, are that the respondent-complainant instituted a complaint under Section 138 of the Act in the competent Court of law, alleging therein that cheques bearing No. 347343 to 347346, dated 25.08.2017, amounting to Rs. 2,00,000/-each, total Rs. 8,00,000/-, having been issued by the petitioner-accused towards discharge of his lawful liability were dishonoured on account of insufficient funds in the bank account of the accused. Since, despite having received legal notice, accused failed to make the payment good well within stipulated time, complainant was compelled to initiate proceedings under Section 138 of the Act in the competent Court of law, which subsequently on the basis of evidence adduced on record by the respective parties, held the accused guilty of having committed offence punishable under S. 138 of Act and accordingly convicted and sentenced him, as per description given herein above.

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Though, being aggrieved and dissatisfied with aforesaid judgment of conviction and order of sentence passed by learned trial Court, accused preferred an appeal in the Court of learned Additional

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Sessions Judge, Paonta Sahib, District Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh, but same was dismissed vide judgment dated 25.07.2024. In the aforesaid background, petitioner-accused has approached this Court in the instant proceedings, praying therein for his acquittal after setting aside judgments of conviction and order of sentence passed by learned trial Court as well as Appellate Court.

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Vide order dated 05.11.2024, this Court suspended the substantive sentence imposed upon the accused by learned trial Court, subject to the petitioner-accused depositing 30% of the compensation amount and furnishing bail bonds in the sum of Rs. 50,000/-, with one surety of the like amount to the satisfaction of learned trial Court. Aforesaid order has been duly complied with.

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Before the case at hand could be heard and decided on

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its own merit, petitioner has entered into the compromise with the respondent/Complainant, whereby they have resolved to settle their dispute amicably interse them.

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Today, during the proceedings of the case, learned counsel representing the petitioner stated that the petitioner has entered into the compromise with the respondent-complainant, whereby they have resolved to settle their dispute amicably. He stated that entire amount of compensation has been deposited with the learned trial Court as well as Registry of this Court and same can

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be ordered to be released in favour of the respondent-complainant and thereafter, this Court, while exercising power under Section 147 of the Act, may proceed to compound the offence and acquit the accused of charge framed against him under Section 138 of the Act.

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Mr. Prakash Sharma, learned counsel representing the respondent-complainant submits that respondent-complainant shall have no objection in compounding the offence in case, amount lying deposited with the learned trial Court as well as Registry of this Court is ordered to be released in his favour.

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Though, no application under Section 147 of the Act has been filed by the petitioner for compounding the offence, however, this Court has sufficient power to compound the offence under Section 147 of the Act, especially when the complainant is ready and willing for the same, as has been fairly stated by the learned counsel for respondent- complainant.

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Having taken note of the fact that entire amount of compensation has been paid to the respondent-complainant and respondent-complainant has no objection in compounding the offence, this Court sees no impediment in accepting the prayer made on behalf of the petitioner for compounding of offence, while exercising power under Section 147 of the Act as well as in terms of guidelines issued by the Hon’ble Apex Court in Damodar S. Prabhu

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V. Sayed Babalal H. (2010) 5 SCC 663 , wherein it has been categorically held that court, while exercising power under Section 147 of the Act, can proceed to compound the offence even after recording of conviction.

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Consequently, in view of the above, present matter is ordered to be compounded and impugned judgments of conviction and order of sentence passed by learned trial Court as well as Appellate Court are set-aside and the petitioner-accused is acquitted of the charge framed against him under Section 138 of the Act. Bail bonds, if any, are discharged. Interim order, if any, is vacated.

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Since respondent-complainant was compelled to engage in unwarranted litigation with the accused for realization of his own amount, petitioner-accused is directed to pay sum of Rs. 40,000/- as litigation charges to the respondent-complainant and deposit Rs. 5000/- with the H.P. State Legal Service Authority as compounding fee within a period of four weeks, failing which, he shall render himself liable for penal consequences as well as contempt of the Court.

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Learned trial Court as well as Registry of this Court is directed to release the amount lying deposited with it in favour of the respondent-complainant, by remitting the same in his saving bank

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account, details whereof shall be furnished by learned counsel for the

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respondent-complainant within a period of one week.

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List this matter for compliance on 20.07.2026,

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(Sandeep Sharma), Judge

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June 17,2026 (shankar)

Meen Singh v. Asha Ram

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Meen Singh v. Asha Ram

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