Kuldeep Verma Vs the State of Jharkhand — Cheque Dishonour | Jharkhand HC (2026)

Kuldeep Verma Vs the State of Jharkhand — Cheque Dishonour | Jharkhand HC (2026)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Anticipatory bail effected by way of a surrender-and-release direction: petitioners to surrender before the learned court within two weeks and to be released on such terms, conditions and sureties as the learned court deems fit and proper; both anticipatory bail petitions disposed of accordingly.

Issue for consideration

Whether anticipatory bail should be granted to Vivek Verma and Kuldeep Verma, who apprehend arrest in connection with Lohsinghna P.S. Case No. 195/2023 (Sections 341,323,420,467,468,471/34 IPC), arising out of an alleged unpaid/recovered sum of Rs. 18,75,000/- amid prior Section 138 NI Act litigation between the parties.

Court's answer

Taking into view the litigation history (initial Section 138 complaint instituted and withdrawn by order dated 19.12.2022; Vivek Verma acquitted in the informant's wife's complaint case No.3200 of 2022 by order dated 19.12.2025; present case lodged for recovery of Rs.18,75,000/-), the petitioners are directed to surrender before the learned court within two weeks, and the learned court shall release the petitioners on such terms and conditions and sureties as it deems fit and proper.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Anticipatory bail applications ABA No.6015 of 2025 (Vivek Verma) and ABA No.6132 of 2025 (Kuldeep Verma), High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi (Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, J., 02.02.2026): petitioners apprehended arrest in Lohsinghna P.S. Case No. 195/2023 (Ss. 341,323,420,467,468,471/34 IPC) pending before A.C.J.M., Hazaribag, lodged for recovery of Rs.18,75,000/- allegedly paid to Vivek Verma. Counsel for petitioners traced the money-dispute litigation: loss of cheques reported by sanha at Lohsingha P.S. on 6.1.2020; informant's S.138 NI Act complaint case No.2849 of 2022 withdrawn under S.257 CrPC with acquittal of Vivek Verma by order dated 19.12.2022; counter-FIR Lohsingha PS Case No.29 of 2023; and acquittal of Vivek Verma on contest in the informant's wife's S.138 complaint case No.3200 of 2022 by judgment dated 19.12.2025. State and informant counsel opposed, alleging manipulation. Considering that history, the court directed the petitioners to surrender before the learned court within two weeks and directed release on such terms, conditions and sureties as the learned court deems fit and proper; both petitions were disposed of accordingly.

2026:JHHC:2607

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI ABA No.6015 of 2025

Vivek Verma, Aged about 31 years, son of Kuldeep Verma, resident of Bajrangbali Chowk, P.O. and P.S.-Lohsinghna, Dist.- Hazaribag.

…. Petitioner Versus The State of Jharkhand … Opp. Party

Versus With ABA No.6132 of 2025

Kuldeep Verma, Aged about 58 years, son of Late Dwarika Verma, resident of Bajrangbali Chowk, P.O. and P.S.- Lohsinghna, Dist.Hazaribagh. …. Petitioner Versus The State of Jharkhand … Opp. Party

CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR DWIVEDI

-----For the Petitioners: Mr. Rohitashya Roy @ Rohit Roy, Advocate For the State : Mr. Abhay Kr. Tiwari, APP Mr. Rajesh Kumar, APP For the Informant: Mr. Awnikant Prasad, Advocate ------

2/02.02.2026 Heard the learned counsel appearing for the petitioners, learned

counsels appearing for the State and learned counsel appearing for the informant in both the cases.

The petitioners are apprehending their arrest in connection with Lohsinghna P.S. Case No. 195/2023, registered under Section 341,323,420,467,468,471/34 of the Indian Penal Code, pending before the Court of learned A.C.J.M, Hazaribag.

Mr. Rohitashya Roy, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners in both the cases submits that some cheques of the petitioners were lost for which Kuldeep Verma has lodged a sanha with Lohsingha P.S. on 6.1.2020. He next submits that the informant got the said cheque and firstly lodged the complaint case under section 138 of Negotiable Instrument Act being complaint case

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No.2849 of 2022 and subsequently he has filed the petition under section 257 of CrPC for withdrawal of the said complaint case and by the order dated 19.12.2022, the learned court has been pleased to acquit the petitioner Vivek Verma and allowed the complaint case to be withdrawn. He next submits that Vivek Verma has lodged the prosecution against the informant, which was later on sent for registration for the FIR and consequently the Lohsingha PS Case No.29 of 2023 was registered. He also submits that the wife of the informant has lodged the complaint case No.3200 of 2022 under section 138 of the Negotiable Instrument Act against Vivek Verma and on contest the petitioner has been acquitted by the learned court

by the judgment dated 19.12.2025 and in course of hearing the learned counsel appearing for the petitioners produced the photocopy of the said judgment. He also submits that there is money dispute, for which, the litigations are going on. He also submits that there is no material to suggest that Rs.18,75,000/- was paid to the petitioners. He also submits that the Vivek Verma is suffering from mental illness and he is in supervision of Neuropsychiatry, Ranchi and to buttress his argument, he refers to annexure 5-series, which are the medical documents.

Learned counsel appearing for the informant vehemently opposed the prayer and submits that the money has been taken by the petitioners and in spite of that, they have not returned and even the cheque of Kuldeep Verma was handed over by the Vivek Verma, who happened to be the son of Kuldeep Verma.

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The learned counsel appearing for the State and the informant further submits that the manipulations have been made by both the petitioners. On these grounds, they submit that the anticipatory bail may kindly be rejected.

Considering that the allegations are made that Rs.18,75,000/was paid to Vivek Verma and for that initially case under section 138 of Negotiable Instrument Act was instituted, which was subsequently withdrawn by the informant by order dated 19.12.2022, the wife of the informant has filed the complaint case No.3200 of 2022, wherein Vivek Verma was acquitted by order dated 19.12.2025 and for the recovery of Rs.18,75,000/-, the present case has been lodged.

In that view of the matter, the petitioners are directed to surrender before the learned court within two weeks and the learned Court shall release the petitioners on such terms and conditions and sureties, the learned court may deem fit and proper.

These anticipatory bail petitions are accordingly disposed of.

(Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi, J.)

02.02.2026

R.Kumar

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