Case brief
What is this about?
CRL.P No. 344 of 2023, Prakash M. v. Munirathnamma, High Court of Karnataka (M.I. Arun, J.), decided 05-11-2025. Petition under S.482 Cr.P.C. to quash C.C.No.940/2022 (from PCR No.852/2021) on the file of II Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bengaluru Rural District, for offence under S.138 NI Act arising from dishonoured cheques towards part sale consideration under a sale agreement. Defence: altered/fresh sale agreement, no legally dischargeable debt. Response: legally enforceable debt; civil suit pending. Held: entitlement and existence of debt are disputed questions of fact for the trial Court; not amenable to quashing under S.482; petition dismissed.
What did the court decide?
The questions whether the respondent was entitled to the amounts mentioned in the cheques, whether a legally dischargeable debt was payable by the petitioner, and whether the cheques were issued to pay such debt can be decided by the trial Court in the trial.