R.Santhanapandiyan Ramaiah Thevar v. R.Babu Ramanathan

Crl.OP(MD).No.19670 of 2022IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRASDATED : 30.01.2025 CORAMTHE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE N.ANAND VENKATESH Crl.OP(MD).No.19670 of 2022andCrl.M.P.Nos.12676 & 13483 of 2022Mr.R.SanthanapandiyanS/o Ramaiah Thevar..Petitioner/AccusedVs.Mr.R.BabuS/oRamanathan ..Respondent/ComplainantPrayer:Criminal Original Petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to call for the records in connection with the impugned complaint in S.T.C.No.141 of 2022 pending on the file of the Learned Fast Track Court (Magisterial Level), Theni and quash the same in so far as the petition is concerned. For Petitioner:Mr.Sarvaganprabhu.SAdvocateFor Respondents:Mr.A.RobinsonO R D E RThis Criminal Original Petition is filed seeking to quash the proceedings pending in S.T.C.No.141 of 2022 on the file of the Learned Fast Track Court (Magisterial Level), Theni.1/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.OP(MD).No.19670 of 20222. The Respondent filed a private complaint against the Petitioner for offences under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 on the ground that the Petitioner is a land broker and a total sum of Rs.6.3 Cr was given to the Petitioner for purchase of land. The land was not purchased and hence, the Respondent sought for repayment of the amount. Only a sum of Rs.1.82 Cr was settled and for the remaining amount, cheques were issued. When the same was presented, it was returned with an endorsement 'Insufficient Fund', thereafter a legal notice dated 14.06.2022 was issued to the Petitioner calling upon the Petitioner to pay the cheque amount. Since, the same was not complied with, the private complaint came to be filed before the Court below.3. When the matter was taken up for hearing on 24.01.2025, this Court passed the following order:-“The main ground that was urged by the learned counsel for the petitioner is that the statutory notice dated 14.06.2022 is not in compliance with the requirements under Section 138(b) of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that the statutory notice neither makes any reference to the particulars of the cheque given by the petitioner nor there is any demand of the cheque amount from the petitioner.2. The learned counsel for the respondent seeks for some time to take instructions regarding the statutory notice that has been filed in the typed set of papers and to verify as to whether this was the statutory notice that was referred to in the complaint that was filed by the respondent against the petitioner.3. Post this case under the caption 'part heard cases' on 30.01.2025.”2/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.OP(MD).No.19670 of 20224. Heard Mr.Sarvaganprabhu.S, learned Counsel for the Petitioner and Mr.A.Robinson, learned Counsel for the Respondent.5. It is now too well settled that the notice that is issued before the institution of the proceedings under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 most specifically state the amount that is due under the dishonored cheque and the period within which it must be paid failing which the notice itself will be considered to be defective and consequently, the private complaint will not be maintainable. Even though various judgments cover this issue, it will suffice to take note of the latest judgment of the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case reported in [(2021) (1) MLJ CR] page 612.6. The statutory notice dated 14.06.2016 which was issued through an Advocate speaks about the transaction between the parties and the amount that was settled by the Petitioner and the balance amount that has to be settled by the Petitioner. After extracting those facts, the Respondent/Complainant made a demand in the following manner:-Nkw; gb gj; jpuj; jpy; fz; lgb ek; fl; rpf; fhuu; fSf;F juNtz; ba &.3>60>00>000/-j;jpy; jq; fs; %yk; tuT te;j njhif &.1>82>00>000/- Nghf kPjp njhif &.1>78>00>000/-j;ij jpUg;gp nrYj;Jk; nghUl;L 30.04.2022-k; Njjpapl;L &.25>00>000/-j;jpw;F ek; fl; rpf; fhuu; fspy; xUtuhd ghG vd; gtu; ngaUf;F fhNrhiy %yk; gzk; ngw; Wnfhs; SkhWk; kPjp njhifia mLj;j xU khj fhyj; jpw; Fs; jpUg;gp 3/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.OP(MD).No.19670 of 2022nfhLj;JtpLtjhfTk; cWjp mspj; jpUe;jPu;fs; vd; Wk;> jhq; fs; nfhLj;j fhNrhiyia tR+Yf;F Nghl; ljpy;> Nkw; gb fhNrhiyAk; Nghjpa gzk; ,d;wp fle;j 02.05.2022y; jpUk;gp te;J tpl; lJ vd; Wk;> mjd; tpguk; jq; fsplk; njupag; gLj;jpajpy; jhq; fs; kPz;Lk; 17.05.2022 fhNrhiyia tR+Yf;F Nghl;L gzk; vLj;Jf;nfhs; Sq;fs; vd;W $wpajpd; Ngupy; md; iwa jpdKk; fhNrhiyia ek; fl; rpf; fhuu; tR+Yf;F Nghl; ljpy; mJTk; fle;j 18.05.2022-y; Nghjpa gzk; ,y;iy vd;W jpUk;gp tpl; lJ vd; Wk;> Nghjpa gzk; ,y;iy vd;w tpguk; jq; fSf;F ed;F njupe; jpUe;Jk; ek; fl; rpf; fhuhiu Nkhrb nra;J Vkhw; Wk; Nehf; fj; Jld; jpl; lkpl;L ePq;fs; nray; gl; Ls;sPu;fs; vd; Wk;> mjd; Ngupy; jq; fs; ngaupy; eltbf; if vLf;fTk; ek; fl; rpf; fhuu; fs; jahuhf cs; shu; fs; vd; Wk;> jq; fspd; nra; if ek; fl; rpf; fhuu; fis NkYk;> NkYk; Vkhw; WtjhfNt njupatUfpwJ vd; Wk;> NkYk; ek; fl; rpf; fhuuplk; ngw;w njhiffis nfhz;L> jq; fs; NgupYk; jq; fs; FLk;gj; jhu; fs; kw; Wk; cwtpdu; fs; Ngupy; cs; SupYk;> ntspA+u;fspYk; nrhj; Jf;ffs; thq; fp kiwj;J itj; Js;sjhf ek; fl; rpf; fhuUf;F njupatUfpwJ vd; Wk;> vdNt jhq; fs; ek; fl; rpf; fhuu; fis NkYk;> NkYk; Vkhw;w Ntz; Lnkd;w vz; zj; ij iftpl;L ek; fl; rpf; fhuu; fSf;F nrYj;jp jPu;f;f Ntz; ba kPj njhif &.1>78>00>000/-j;ij KOtJkhf ,e;j Nehl;B]; fz;l 15 jpd fhyj; jpw; Fs; nrYj;jp ePq;fSk; ek; fl; rpf; fhuu; fSk; Nru;e;J vOjp nfhz;l xg; ge;j gj; jpuj; ij thg]; ngw;W nfhs;s Ntz; Lnkd; Wk;> jtwpdhy; jq; fsplkpUe;J ek; fl; rpf; fhuu; fSf;F tuNtz; ba kPj njhifia tug; gw; wTk;> ek; fl; rpf; fhuu; fis Nkhrb Mtzq; fs; %yk; Vkhw; wp Nkhrb nra;a Ntz; Lk; vd;w vz; zj; jpy; nray; gl; Lk; Nghypahd Mtzq; fis jhq; fshfNt cw; gj; jp nra;J> mjpy; Nghyp ifnaOj;Jf;fs; nra; Jk; Nghypahd Mtzq; fs; jhd; vd jq; fSf;F ed;F njupe; jpUe;Jk;> mitjhd; cz; ikahd Mtzq; fs; vd ek; fl; rpf; fhuiu ek; gitj;J ek; fl; rpf; fhuiu Nkhrb nra;J Vkhw; wp gzj; ij mgfupj;j jq; fs; Ngupy; rptpy;> fpupkpdy; tof; Ffs; njhlug; gLnkd; Wk;> mjdhy; Vw;gLk; rfy nrytpw; Fk; e~;bf; Fk; jhq; fNs KO nghWg;ghf NeupLk; vd; Wk;. ,jd; %yk; mwptpf; fyhapw;W.7. It is clear from the above that in the statutory notice, there is not even a 4/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.OP(MD).No.19670 of 2022reference of the cheque number and the details of the cheque and the amount that is to be paid under the dishonoured cheque. The Act mandates the statutory notice to be given in a particular manner since a criminal offence is involved and if the same is not satisfied, the notice itself will be considered as defective and consequently the complaint also becomes not maintainable.8. In the light of the above discussion, the continuation of the criminal proceedings as against the petitioner will amount to abuse of process of law which requires the interference of this Court. Hence, the proceedings pending in S.T.C.No.141 of 2022 pending on the file of the Learned Fast Track Court (Magisterial Level), Theni, is liable to be interfered with by this Court. In the result, the proceedings pending in S.T.C.No.141 of 2022 pending on the file of the Learned Fast Track Court (Magisterial Level),Theni stands quashed, and this Criminal Original Petition stands allowed. Consequently, connected criminal miscellaneous petitions are closed. 10.12.2024Index : Yes / NoInternet : Yes / NoSpeaking Order/Non Speaking Ordernst5/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.OP(MD).No.19670 of 2022To1.The Fast Track Court Magisterial Level, Theni.2.The Inspector of Police, Theni Town, Theni Taluk, Theni District.3.The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai. 6/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.OP(MD).No.19670 of 2022N.ANAND VENKATESH, J.nstCrl.OP(MD).No.19670 of 2022andCrl.M.P.Nos.12676 & 13483 of 20227/8 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis Crl.OP(MD).No.19670 of 2022Dated: 30.01.20258/8