M/S Chadalavada Infratech Ltd. v. M/S Southern Power Equipement
Case brief
What is this about?
Section 138 NI Act cheque dishonour ('Funds insufficient'); survival of directors'/signatories' penal liability under Section 141 despite liquidation of corporate debtor under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016; reliance on Ajay Kumar Radheshyam Goenka v. Tourism Finance Corporation of India Ltd. (SC, Crl.A.170/2023); references to Aneeta Hada and Lalit Kumar Jain (2021) 9 SCC 321; unrebutted presumption under S.139 r/w 118 NI Act; debt acknowledged under agreement Ex.P11 dated 02.11.2011; acquittal of non-signatory director; abatement on death; adjustment of civil-suit receipts against fine via Section 357(5) Cr.P.C in execution; revision under S.397 r/w 401 Cr.P.C; CRL.RP Nos.1308-1310/2016; High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru; Justice S Vishwajith Shetty; decided 10 February 2026; Chadalavada Infratech Ltd v. Southern Power Equipement Co Pvt Ltd.
What did the court decide?
Revision petitions allowed in part: conviction and sentence confirmed against petitioner no.2 (accused no.2) in all three cases on the law in Ajay Kumar Radheshyam Goenka (supra); petitioner no.4 (accused no.6) acquitted under Section 138 NI Act and bail bonds cancelled; proceedings against deceased petitioner no.3 (accused no.4) abated; adjustment of amounts received in COS No.13 of 2017 left to execution under Section 357(5) Cr.P.C.