High Court · 2025

1. Heard Sri Sanjeev Kumar, learned counsel for the applicant as well as Sri J.B. Singh, learned AGA for the State.

2. In view of the order which is being proposed to be passed, notice is not being issued to the opposite party no. 2.

3. This application u/s 528 of BNSS has been preferred to set aside the order dated 16.03.2024 passed by Civil Judge (Junior Division)/ Judicial Magistrate Hasanpur, District- Amroha, in Complaint Case no. 927 of 2020 under Section 138 Negotiable Instrument Act Police Station- Hasanpur, District Amroha pending in the Court of Civil Judge (Junior Division)/ Judicial Magistrate Hasanpur, District- Amroha.

4. The case of the is that a complaint stood lodged by the opposite party no. 2 under Section 138 of NI Act on 27.10.2020 with an allegation that with respect to discharge of a liability, the applicant herein had drawn a cheque bearing no. 549633 of an amount of Rs. 2,00,000/- which on presentation in the bank on 11.08.2020 was dishonored followed by a statutory demand notice dated 10.09.2020 and the complaint under Section 138 of the NI Act on 27.10.2020 the applicant came to be summoned thereafter, an application came to be preferred by the opposite party no. 2- complainant under Section 143A of the NI Act for according 20% interim compensation which came to be allowed on 16.03.2024 by Civil Judge (Junior Division)/ Judicial Magistrate Hasanpur, District- Amroha in Complaint Case No. 927 of 2020.

5. Questioning the said order, the applicant has filed the present application.

6. Learned counsel for the applicant has submitted that the order dated 16.03.2024 passed by the court below while according interim compensation to the tune of 20% is not as per the mandate in the case of Rakesh Ranjan Srivastava v. State of Jharkand and another; [2024] 3 S.C.R. 438. He submits that there are certain criteria which need to be adhered to before according interim compensation such as the, prima facie, evaluation of case of the complainant as well as of the accused, financial distress of the accused, in case, any prima facie case tilts in favour of the accused then the quantum of interim compensation looking into the relationship between the parties and the nature of transaction etc. According to the learned counsel for the applicant, none of the said criteria has been adhered to. He submits that the order dated 16.03.2024 be set aside, matter be remitted back to the court below to pass a fresh order.

7. Sri J.B. Singh, learned AGA, on the other hand, could not dispute the said factual position that the matter stands covered in light of judgment in Rakesh Ranjan Srivastava (supra). He submits that the order dated 16.03.2024 be set aside, matter be remitted back to the court below to pass a fresh order.

8. I have heard the submission so made across the bar and perused the record carefully.

9. The order dated 16.03.2024 passed by Civil Judge (Junior Division)/ Judicial Magistrate Hasanpur, District- Amroha is quoted hereinunder.- "पतቔኋवलली पपेश हहई। ववगत वतथथि पर पररवቔኋदली ककी ओर सपे पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत अन्तगरत धቔኋरቔኋ 143A एन०आई०एक्ट पर ससुनቔኋ जቔኋ चसुकቔኋ हहै। पचቔኋवलली पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत कपे वनस्तቔኋरण हपेतसु वनयत हहै। पररवቔኋदली ससुनलील कसुमቔኋर ककी ओर सपे पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत अन्तगरत धቔኋरቔኋ 143A एन० आई०एक्ट इस आशय कቔኋ पस्तसुत वकयቔኋ गयቔኋ हहै वक पቔኋचली /पररवቔኋदली नपे उ्ሹ पररवቔኋद अवभियसु्ሹ गजरቔኋज कपे ववरु्ቍ 2,00,000/-रुपयपे (ददो लቔኋख रूपयपे) ककी धनरቔኋवश कपे बबक कपे थससस आनर कपे सबच मम चቔኋद दቔኋयर वकयቔኋ हहै तथिቔኋ उक बቔኋद मम बयቔኋन मसुललजम बन चसुकቔኋ हहै। इस कቔኋरण पቔኋथिቕኍ कदो उस ममूल धनरቔኋवश कቔኋ 20% धनरቔኋवश वदलቔኋयपे जቔኋनपे कቔኋ आदपेश पቔኋररत वकयपे जቔኋनपे ककी यቔኋचनቔኋ ककी गयली हहै। अवभियसुक दቔኋरቔኋ उपरदो्ሹ पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत पर आपथቈኌ करतपे हहए उपरदो्ሹ पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत कदो वनरस्त वकरली जቔኋनपे ककी यቔኋचनቔኋ ककी गयीሱ हहै। ससुनቔኋ तथिቔኋ पतቔኋबलली कቔኋ सम्यक पररशलीलन वकयቔኋ। पररवቔኋदली दቔኋरቔኋ पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत अअंतगरत धቔኋरቔኋ 143A थलथखत परकቔኋम्य अथधवनयम पस्तसुत कर बबक ककी धनरቔኋवश 2,00,000/- रुपयपे (ददो लቔኋख रूपयपे) कቔኋ 20% अअंतररम पवतकर कपे रूप ममवदए जቔኋनपे ककी यቔኋचनቔኋ ककी गयीሱ हहै। पतቔኋवलली कपे अवलदोकन सपे वववदत हहै वक वदनቔኋअंक 19.07.2022 कदो उपरदो्ሹ पतቔኋवलली मम बयቔኋन मसुललजम बन गयቔኋ हहै और अब पतቔኋवलली सቔኋቌኚय कपे स्तर पर ललम्बत हहै। ववथध कቔኋ ससुस्थिቔኋवपत थस्ቍቔኋअंत हहै वक जब अवभियसु्ሹ दቔኋरቔኋ अवभियदोग मम वनदቖኘष बतቔኋतपे हहए ववचቔኋरण ककी मቔኋाሯग ककी गयली हदो तब धቔኋरቔኋ 143A परቔኋकቔኋष्य थलथखत अथधवनयम कपे अअंतगरत अअंतररम मसुआवजቔኋ आम ततौर पर पररवቔኋदली कदो वदयቔኋ जቔኋनቔኋ चቔኋवहए और अअंतररम मसुआवजቔኋ नहीሱ वदयपे जቔኋनपे ककी दशቔኋ मम पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत वनरस्त वकयपे जቔኋनपे कपे थलए ववशपेष कቔኋरण हदोनपे चቔኋवहए। वतरमቔኋन मቔኋमलपे मम अवभियसु्ሹ दቔኋरቔኋ स्वयअं कदो वनतदोष बतቔኋयቔኋ गयቔኋ हहै तथिቔኋ ववचቔኋरण ककी मቔኋअंग ककी गयली हहै। उलपेखनलीय हहै वक परቔኋकम्य थलथखत अथधवनयम ककी धቔኋरቔኋ 143A बबक अनቔኋदर कपे मቔኋमलोሴ कपे वनस्तቔኋरण मम दपेरली एवअं अअंतररत मसुआवजपे कቔኋ भिसुगतቔኋन पररवቔኋदली कदो वदलቔኋयपे जቔኋनपे कपे उदपेश्य सपे एनआई०एक्ट मम शቔኋवमल वकयቔኋ गयቔኋ हहै। अततः पवववनयम ककी मअंशቔኋ एवअं वतरमቔኋन पररवቔኋद कपे तथ्योሴ कदो दृवቖኌगत रखतपे हहए पररवቔኋद कपे पमूणर वनस्तቔኋरण तक पररचቔኋदली कपे वहतोሴ कदो ससुरवቌኌत वकयቔኋ जቔኋनቔኋ आवशयक पतलीत हदोतቔኋ हहै। पቔኋथिरनቔኋ स्वलीकቔኋर वकयपे जቔኋयपे यदोग्य हहै। आदपेश पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत स्वलीकቔኋर वकयቔኋ जቔኋतቔኋ हहै। अवभियसु्ሹ गजरቔኋज कदो आदपेवशत वकयቔኋ जቔኋतቔኋ हहै वक बबक ककी धनरቔኋवश 2,00,000/-पयपे (दली लቔኋस रूपयपे) कቔኋ 20% मसुव० 40,000/-रु० आज 30 वदन कपे अन्दर पቔኋअंत करቔኋतपे पदቔኋवलली वቔኋस्तपे सቔኋक्य वदनቔኋअंक 16.04 2024 कदो पपेश हदो।"

10. A perusal of the order goes to show that there has been no consideration of the prima facie merits of the case of the complainant and the accused, financial distress, quantum of compensation as well as the relationship between the parties and the nature of the transaction etc.

11. Accordingly, this Court has no option but to set aside the the said order as the aforesaid exercise is lacking, the application stands disposed of in the following terms:- (a) the order dated 16.03.2024 passed by Civil Judge (Junior Division)/ Judicial Magistrate Hasanpur, District- Amroha in Complaint Case No. 927 of 2020 is set aside; (b) matter be remitted back to the court below to pass a fresh order for facilitation of early disposal, certified copy of the order be submitted by the applicant by 25.07.2025. Order Date :- 8.7.2025 Rajesh RAJESH KUMAR High Court of Judicature at Allahabad

1. Heard Sri Sanjeev Kumar, learned counsel for the applicant as well as Sri J.B. Singh, learned AGA for the State.

2. In view of the order which is being proposed to be passed, notice is not being issued to the opposite party no. 2.

3. This application u/s 528 of BNSS has been preferred to set aside the order dated 16.03.2024 passed by Civil Judge (Junior Division)/ Judicial Magistrate Hasanpur, District- Amroha, in Complaint Case no. 927 of 2020 under Section 138 Negotiable Instrument Act Police Station- Hasanpur, District Amroha pending in the Court of Civil Judge (Junior Division)/ Judicial Magistrate Hasanpur, District- Amroha.

4. The case of the is that a complaint stood lodged by the opposite party no. 2 under Section 138 of NI Act on 27.10.2020 with an allegation that with respect to discharge of a liability, the applicant herein had drawn a cheque bearing no. 549633 of an amount of Rs. 2,00,000/- which on presentation in the bank on 11.08.2020 was dishonored followed by a statutory demand notice dated 10.09.2020 and the complaint under Section 138 of the NI Act on 27.10.2020 the applicant came to be summoned thereafter, an application came to be preferred by the opposite party no. 2- complainant under Section 143A of the NI Act for according 20% interim compensation which came to be allowed on 16.03.2024 by Civil Judge (Junior Division)/ Judicial Magistrate Hasanpur, District- Amroha in Complaint Case No. 927 of 2020.

5. Questioning the said order, the applicant has filed the present application.

6. Learned counsel for the applicant has submitted that the order dated 16.03.2024 passed by the court below while according interim compensation to the tune of 20% is not as per the mandate in the case of Rakesh Ranjan Srivastava v. State of Jharkand and another; [2024] 3 S.C.R. 438. He submits that there are certain criteria which need to be adhered to before according interim compensation such as the, prima facie, evaluation of case of the complainant as well as of the accused, financial distress of the accused, in case, any prima facie case tilts in favour of the accused then the quantum of interim compensation looking into the relationship between the parties and the nature of transaction etc. According to the learned counsel for the applicant, none of the said criteria has been adhered to. He submits that the order dated 16.03.2024 be set aside, matter be remitted back to the court below to pass a fresh order.

7. Sri J.B. Singh, learned AGA, on the other hand, could not dispute the said factual position that the matter stands covered in light of judgment in Rakesh Ranjan Srivastava (supra). He submits that the order dated 16.03.2024 be set aside, matter be remitted back to the court below to pass a fresh order.

8. I have heard the submission so made across the bar and perused the record carefully.

9. The order dated 16.03.2024 passed by Civil Judge (Junior Division)/ Judicial Magistrate Hasanpur, District- Amroha is quoted hereinunder.- "पतቔኋवलली पपेश हहई। ववगत वतथथि पर पररवቔኋदली ककी ओर सपे पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत अन्तगरत धቔኋरቔኋ 143A एन०आई०एक्ट पर ससुनቔኋ जቔኋ चसुकቔኋ हहै। पचቔኋवलली पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत कपे वनस्तቔኋरण हपेतसु वनयत हहै। पररवቔኋदली ससुनलील कसुमቔኋर ककी ओर सपे पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत अन्तगरत धቔኋरቔኋ 143A एन० आई०एक्ट इस आशय कቔኋ पस्तसुत वकयቔኋ गयቔኋ हहै वक पቔኋचली /पररवቔኋदली नपे उ्ሹ पररवቔኋद अवभियसु्ሹ गजरቔኋज कपे ववरु्ቍ 2,00,000/-रुपयपे (ददो लቔኋख रूपयपे) ककी धनरቔኋवश कपे बबक कपे थससस आनर कपे सबच मम चቔኋद दቔኋयर वकयቔኋ हहै तथिቔኋ उक बቔኋद मम बयቔኋन मसुललजम बन चसुकቔኋ हहै। इस कቔኋरण पቔኋथिቕኍ कदो उस ममूल धनरቔኋवश कቔኋ 20% धनरቔኋवश वदलቔኋयपे जቔኋनपे कቔኋ आदपेश पቔኋररत वकयपे जቔኋनपे ककी यቔኋचनቔኋ ककी गयली हहै। अवभियसुक दቔኋरቔኋ उपरदो्ሹ पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत पर आपथቈኌ करतपे हहए उपरदो्ሹ पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत कदो वनरस्त वकरली जቔኋनपे ककी यቔኋचनቔኋ ककी गयीሱ हहै। ससुनቔኋ तथिቔኋ पतቔኋबलली कቔኋ सम्यक पररशलीलन वकयቔኋ। पररवቔኋदली दቔኋरቔኋ पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत अअंतगरत धቔኋरቔኋ 143A थलथखत परकቔኋम्य अथधवनयम पस्तसुत कर बबक ककी धनरቔኋवश 2,00,000/- रुपयपे (ददो लቔኋख रूपयपे) कቔኋ 20% अअंतररम पवतकर कपे रूप ममवदए जቔኋनपे ककी यቔኋचनቔኋ ककी गयीሱ हहै। पतቔኋवलली कपे अवलदोकन सपे वववदत हहै वक वदनቔኋअंक 19.07.2022 कदो उपरदो्ሹ पतቔኋवलली मम बयቔኋन मसुललजम बन गयቔኋ हहै और अब पतቔኋवलली सቔኋቌኚय कपे स्तर पर ललम्बत हहै। ववथध कቔኋ ससुस्थिቔኋवपत थस्ቍቔኋअंत हहै वक जब अवभियसु्ሹ दቔኋरቔኋ अवभियदोग मम वनदቖኘष बतቔኋतपे हहए ववचቔኋरण ककी मቔኋाሯग ककी गयली हदो तब धቔኋरቔኋ 143A परቔኋकቔኋष्य थलथखत अथधवनयम कपे अअंतगरत अअंतररम मसुआवजቔኋ आम ततौर पर पररवቔኋदली कदो वदयቔኋ जቔኋनቔኋ चቔኋवहए और अअंतररम मसुआवजቔኋ नहीሱ वदयपे जቔኋनपे ककी दशቔኋ मम पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत वनरस्त वकयपे जቔኋनपे कपे थलए ववशपेष कቔኋरण हदोनपे चቔኋवहए। वतरमቔኋन मቔኋमलपे मम अवभियसु्ሹ दቔኋरቔኋ स्वयअं कदो वनतदोष बतቔኋयቔኋ गयቔኋ हहै तथिቔኋ ववचቔኋरण ककी मቔኋअंग ककी गयली हहै। उलपेखनलीय हहै वक परቔኋकम्य थलथखत अथधवनयम ककी धቔኋरቔኋ 143A बबक अनቔኋदर कपे मቔኋमलोሴ कपे वनस्तቔኋरण मम दपेरली एवअं अअंतररत मसुआवजपे कቔኋ भिसुगतቔኋन पररवቔኋदली कदो वदलቔኋयपे जቔኋनपे कपे उदपेश्य सपे एनआई०एक्ट मम शቔኋवमल वकयቔኋ गयቔኋ हहै। अततः पवववनयम ककी मअंशቔኋ एवअं वतरमቔኋन पररवቔኋद कपे तथ्योሴ कदो दृवቖኌगत रखतपे हहए पररवቔኋद कपे पमूणर वनस्तቔኋरण तक पररचቔኋदली कपे वहतोሴ कदो ससुरवቌኌत वकयቔኋ जቔኋनቔኋ आवशयक पतलीत हदोतቔኋ हहै। पቔኋथिरनቔኋ स्वलीकቔኋर वकयपे जቔኋयपे यदोग्य हहै। आदपेश पቔኋथिरनቔኋ पत स्वलीकቔኋर वकयቔኋ जቔኋतቔኋ हहै। अवभियसु्ሹ गजरቔኋज कदो आदपेवशत वकयቔኋ जቔኋतቔኋ हहै वक बबक ककी धनरቔኋवश 2,00,000/-पयपे (दली लቔኋस रूपयपे) कቔኋ 20% मसुव० 40,000/-रु० आज 30 वदन कपे अन्दर पቔኋअंत करቔኋतपे पदቔኋवलली वቔኋस्तपे सቔኋक्य वदनቔኋअंक 16.04 2024 कदो पपेश हदो।"

10. A perusal of the order goes to show that there has been no consideration of the prima facie merits of the case of the complainant and the accused, financial distress, quantum of compensation as well as the relationship between the parties and the nature of the transaction etc.

11. Accordingly, this Court has no option but to set aside the the said order as the aforesaid exercise is lacking, the application stands disposed of in the following terms:- (a) the order dated 16.03.2024 passed by Civil Judge (Junior Division)/ Judicial Magistrate Hasanpur, District- Amroha in Complaint Case No. 927 of 2020 is set aside; (b) matter be remitted back to the court below to pass a fresh order for facilitation of early disposal, certified copy of the order be submitted by the applicant by 25.07.2025. Order Date :- 8.7.2025 Rajesh RAJESH KUMAR High Court of Judicature at Allahabad