Ashish Bansal v. Krishan Gopal

127o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o o o o o o o o oooCRM-M-26228-2023o o o o o o o o Dateoofodecisiono:o22.05.2023o o o ASHISHoBANSALo o o o o o …Petitionero o Versuso KRISHANoGOPALo o o o o o …Respondento o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoHARSHoBUNGERo Presento:o Mr.oAjayoKumaroKansal,oAdvocateo o o forotheopetitioner.o o HARSHoBUNGER,oJ.oo o TheopetitionerohasofiledothisopetitionounderoSectiono482oofotheo CodeoofoCriminaloProcedure,oseekingosettingoasideoofotheoimpugnedoordero datedo26.04.2023o(AnnexureoP-3);owherebyoheohasobeenodirectedotoodeposito 20%oofotheochequeoamountoasoaoconditionoforograntoofobail.o

2.o o Briefly,o theo respondento hereino (Krishano Gopal)o filedo ao complainto undero Sectiono 138o ofo theo Negotiableo Instrumentso Actoooooooooooooooo (here-in-aftero referredo too asotheo `N.I.o Act'),o againstotheopresentopetitioneroooooooooooooooo (AshishoBansal)oinorespectoofodishonoroofocheque,oamountingotooRs.10olakhs.o

3.o o Theo learnedo trialo Court,o video judgmento ofo convictiono datedo

27.03.2023,oheldotheopetitioneroguiltyounderoSectiono138oofotheoN.I.oActoando videoaoseparateoorderoofosentenceodatedo29.03.2023o(AnnexureoP-1),oheowaso sentencedotooundergoosimpleoimprisonmentoforoaoperiodoofosixomonthsoando alsootoopayoaocompensationoofoRs.10olakhsotootheorespondent-complainanto withinoaoperiodoofosixomonths.oo

4.o o Aggrieved,otheopetitioneroherein,opreferredoanoappealobeforeotheo lowero Appellateo Court,o video Annexureo P-2,o againsto theo saido judgmento ofoGURPREET KAUR convictionodatedo27.03.2023oandoorderoofosentenceodatedo29.03.2023opassedo byo learnedo Subo Divisionalo Judicialo Magistrate,o Meham;o whereupon,o theo lowero Appellateo Court,o video ordero datedo 26.04.2023o (Annexureo P-3),o directedotheopetitionerotoodeposito20%oofotheocompensationoamountowithinoao periodo ofo 60o dayso ando theo sameo waso madeo aso ao conditiono ofo bail,o byo observingoasoundero:-o o "…Soo theo sentenceo againsto theo appellant-accusedo iso suspendedosubjectotoohisofurnishingobailobondsoinotheosumoofo Rs.50,000/-o witho oneo suretyo ino theo likeo amounto too theo satisfactionoofothisoCourt.oThisoorderoisoalsoosubjectotootheo conditionothatotheoappellant-accusedoshalloalsoopayo20%oofo theochequeoamountowithinosixtyodaysofromotheodateoofothiso orderobeforeotheoTrialoCourtoasoperoSectiono148oofoN.I.oActo andowouldoappearoinotheocourtoonoeachoandoeveryodateoofo hearing.oRequisiteobondsofurnished,oacceptedoandoattested.oAo copyo ofo thiso ordero alongo witho documento furnishedo byo theo suretyobeosentotooTehsildaroconcernedoforomakingoanoentryoino theorevenueorecordoregardingotheoaboveosuretyofurnishedoino theo Courto witho furthero directiono too sendo theo complianceo reportotoothisoCourtoonoorobeforeotheonextodate..."o

5.o o Accordingly,otheopetitionerohasofiledotheoinstantopetitionobeforeo thisoCourt,ochallengingotheoaforesaidoorderodatedo26.04.2023o(AnnexureoP-3)o passedobyolearnedoloweroAppellateoCourt.o

6.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerosubmitsothatotheoimpugnedo orderodatedo26.04.2023o(AnnexureoP-3)oisoillegal,oarbitraryoandoerroneousoaso theodirectionotoodeposito20%oofotheochequeoamountohasobeenogivenoinoviewoofo theo amendedo provisionso ofo theo N.I.o Act,o whicho cameo intoo effecto w.e.f.o

01.09.2018,o whereas,o theo complainto ino question,o hado beeno filedo ono

14.03.2016.o Learnedo counselo furthero arguedo thato ino Sectiono 148o ofo theoooooooooooooooo N.I.o Act,o theo termo usedo waso "may"o ando noto "shall";o thus,o thereo waso noo justificationoforotheoloweroAppellateoCourtoforoimpositionoofoconditionoofo depositoofo20%oofotheochequeoamount.oItoisocontendedothatotheopetitioneroiso aggrievedoonlyowithoregardotootheoconditionoofodepositoofo20%oofotheochequeo amountotowardsocompensation,oasoorderedobyotheoloweroAppellateoCourtovideo orderodatedo26.04.2023oasonooconditionocouldobeoimposedouponotheoaccusedo whileograntingobail.oAccordingly,oitoisoprayedothatotheorevisionopetitionomayo beoacceptedobyoquashingotheoimpugnedoorderodatedo26.04.2023,otootheoextento wherebyo theo petitionero haso beeno directedo too deposito 20%o ofo theo chequeo amountoasoaoconditionoofobail.o

7.o o Iohaveoconsideredotheoafore-saidocontentionsoraisedobyolearnedo counselo foro theo petitionero ando haveo perusedo theo papero booko aso wello aso impugnedoorderodatedo26.04.2023o(AnnexureoP-3)opassedobyolearnedolowero AppellateoCourt.ooo

8.o o Sectiono148oofotheoN.I.oAct,o1881oreadsoasoundero:-o o [148.o Powero ofo Appellateo Courto too ordero paymento pendingo appealo againsto conviction.-(1)o Notwithstandingo anythingocontainedoinotheoCodeoofoCriminaloProcedure,o1973o (2oofo1974),oinoanoappealobyotheodraweroagainstoconvictiono undero sectiono 138,o theo Appellateo Courto mayo ordero theo appellantotoodepositosuchosumowhichoshallobeoaominimumoofo twentyoperocent.oofotheofineoorocompensationoawardedobyotheo trialoCourt:o o Providedothatotheoamountopayableounderothisosub-sectiono shallobeoinoadditionotooanyointerimocompensationopaidobyotheo appellantounderosectiono143A.o o (2)o Theo amountoreferredotooino sub-sectiono (1)oshallobeo depositedo withino sixtyo dayso fromo theo dateo ofo theo order,o oro withinosuchofurtheroperiodonotoexceedingothirtyodaysoasomayo beodirectedobyotheoCourtoonosufficientocauseobeingoshownobyo o 051o #heo -ppellateo "ourto ma o directo theo releaseo ofo theo amountodepositedob otheoappellantotootheocomplainantoatoan o timeoduringotheopendenc oofotheoappeal6o o 2ro.idedo thato ifo theo appellanto iso ac&uitted,o theo "ourto shallo directo theo complainanto too repa o too theo appellanto theo amounto soo released,o witho interesto ato theo ban!o rateo aso publishedo b o theo Reser.eo 7an!o ofo ,ndia,o pre.alento ato theo beginningo ofo theo rele.anto financialo ear,o withino si't o da so fromotheodateoofotheoorder,oorowithinosuchofurtheroperiodonoto e'ceedingo thirt oda so aso ma o beo directedo b o theo"ourtoono sufficientocauseobeingoshownob otheocomplainant.8o

7.o o Theoaforesaidopro4isionohaso'eenoconsideredoandosettledo'(oano authoritati4eo5udgmentopassedo'(o@on2'leotheo!pe"oCourtoinoSurinderoSingho Deswalo oCol.oS.S.oDeswaloov.oo!irendero"andhioA#$o%&1'oSupremeoCourtoo %'(),otheorele4antoparagraphonos.8,o7oando.0oareo*uotedo'elo&o;#o "8. It is the case on behalf of the appellants that as the criminal complaints against the appellants under Section 138 of the N.I. Act were lodged/filed before the amendment Act No. 20/2018 by which Section 148 of the N.I. Act came to be amended and therefore amended Section 148 of the N.I. Act shall not be made applicable. However, it is required to be noted that at the time when the appeals against the conviction of the appellants for the offence under Section 138 of the N.I. Act were preferred, Amendment Act No. 20/2018 amending Section 148 of the N.I. Act came into force w.e.f.

1.9.2018. Even, at the time when the appellants submitted application/s under Section 389 of the Cr.P.C. to suspend the sentence pending appeals challenging the conviction and sentence, amended Section 148 of the N.I. Act came into force and was brought on statute w.e.f. 1.9.2018. Therefore, considering the object and purpose of amendment in Section 148 of the N.I. Act and while suspending the sentence in exercise of powers under Section 389 of the Cr.P.C., when GURPREET KAUR the first appellate court directed the appellants to deposit

25% of the amount of fine/compensation as imposed by the learned trial Court, the same can be said to be absolutely in consonance with the Statement of Objects and Reasons of amendment in Section 148 of the N.I. Act.

8.1 Having observed and found that because of the delay tactics of unscrupulous drawers of dishonoured cheques due to easy filing of appeals and obtaining stay on proceedings, the object and purpose of the enactment of Section 138 of the N.I. Act was being frustrated, the Parliament has thought it fit to amend Section 148 of the N.I. Act, by which the first appellate Court, in an appeal challenging the order of conviction under Section 138 of the N.I. Act, is conferred with the power to direct the convicted accused - appellant to deposit such sum which shall be a minimum of 20% of the fine or compensation awarded by the trial Court. By the amendment in Section 148 of the N.I. Act, it cannot be said that any vested right of appeal of the accused - appellant has been taken away and/or affected. Therefore, submission on behalf of the appellants that amendment in Section 148 of the N.I. Act shall not be made applicable retrospectively and more particularly with respect to cases/complaints filed prior to 1.9.2018 shall not be applicable has no substance and cannot be accepted, as by amendment in Section 148 of the N.I. Act, no substantive right of appeal has been taken away and/or affected.. Therefore the decisions of this Court in the cases of Garikapatti Veeraya (supra) and Videocon International Limited (supra), relied upon by the learned senior counsel appearing on behalf of the appellants shall not be applicable to the facts of the case on hand. Therefore, considering the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the amendment in Section 148 of the N.I. Act stated hereinabove, on purposive interpretation of Section 148 of the N.I. Act as amended, we are of the opinion that Section 148 of the N.I. Act as amended, shall be applicable in respect of the appeals against the order of conviction and sentence for the offence

under Section 138 of the N.I. Act, even in a case where the criminal complaints for the offence under Section 138 of the N.I. Act were filed prior to amendment Act No. 20/2018 i.e., prior to 01.09.2018. If such a purposive interpretation is not adopted, in that case, the object and purpose of amendment in Section 148 of the N.I. Act would be frustrated. Therefore, as such, no error has been committed by the learned first appellate court directing the appellants to deposit 25% of the amount of fine/compensation as imposed by the learned trial Court considering Section 148 of the N.I. Act, as amended.

¶9Now so far as the submission on behalf of the appellants that even considering the language used in Section 148 of the N.I. Act as amended, the appellate Court "may" order the appellant to deposit such sum which shall be a minimum of 20% of the fine or compensation awarded by the trial Court and the word used is not "shall" and therefore the discretion is vested with the first appellate court to direct the appellant - accused to deposit such sum and the appellate court has construed it as mandatory, which according to the learned Senior Advocate for the appellants would be contrary to the provisions of Section 148 of the N.I. Act as amended is concerned, considering the amended Section 148 of the N.I. Act as a whole to be read with the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the amending Section 148 of the N.I. Act, though it is true that in amended Section 148 of the N.I. Act, the word used is "may", it is generally to be construed as a "rule" or "shall" and not to direct to deposit by the appellate court is an exception for which special reasons are to be assigned. Therefore amended Section 148 of the N.I. Act confers power upon the Appellate Court to pass an order pending appeal to direct the Appellant Accused to deposit the sum which shall not be less than 20% of the fine or compensation either on an application filed by the original complainant or even on the application filed by the Appellant Accused under Section 389 of the Cr.P.C. to suspend the

sentence. The aforesaid is required to be construed considering the fact that as per the amended Section 148 of the N.I. Act, a minimum of 20% of the fine or compensation awarded by the trial court is directed to be deposited and that such amount is to be deposited within a period of 60 days from the date of the order, or within such further period not exceeding 30 days as may be directed by the appellate court for sufficient cause shown by the appellant. Therefore, if amended Section 148 of the N.I. Act is purposively interpreted in such a manner it would serve the Objects and Reasons of not only amendment in Section 148 of the N.I. Act, but also Section 138 of the N.I. Act. N.I. Act has been amended from time to time so as to provide, inter alia, speedy disposal of cases relating to the offence of the dishonoured of cheques. So as to see that due to delay tactics by the unscrupulous drawers of the dishonoured cheques due to easy filing of the appeals and obtaining stay in the proceedings, an injustice was caused to the payee of a dishonoured cheque who has to spend considerable time and resources in the court proceedings to realise the value of the cheque and having observed that such delay has compromised the sanctity of the cheque transactions, the Parliament has thought it fit to amend Section 148 of the N.I. Act. Therefore, such a purposive interpretation would be in furtherance of the Objects and Reasons of the amendment in Section 148 of the N.I. Act and also Sec 138 of the N.I. Act.

¶10Now so far as the submission on behalf of the appellants, relying upon Section 357(2) of the Cr.P.C. that once the appeal against the order of conviction is preferred, fine is not recoverable pending appeal and therefore such an order of deposit of 25% of the fine ought not to have been passed and in support of the above reliance placed upon the decision of this Court in the case of Dilip S. Dhanukar (supra) is concerned, the aforesaid has no substance. The opening word of amended Section 148 of the N.I. Act is that "notwithstandingoanythingocontainedoinotheoCodeoofoCriminalo Procedure.....".o Thereforeo irrespectiveo ofo theo provisionso ofoSectiono357(2)oofotheoCr.P.C.,opendingoappealobeforeotheo firstoappellateocourt,ochallengingotheoorderoofoconvictionoando sentenceo undero Sectiono 138o oofo theo N.I.o Act,o theo appellateo courtoisoconferredowithotheopowerotoodirectotheoappellantotoo depositosuchosumopendingoappealowhichoshallobeoaominimumo ofo 20%o ofo theo fineo oro compensationo awardedo byo theo trialo Court."o

10.o o FromoperusaloofotheoaboveoreferredojudgmentoinoSurinderoSingho Deswal'socaseo(supra),oitoisoobservedothatotheoHon'bleoApexocourtodidonoto findoanyosubstanceoinotheosubmissionothatoamendmentoinoSectiono148oofotheo N.I.oAct,oshallonotobeomadeoapplicableoretrospectivelyoandomoreoparticularlyo withorespectotoocases/complaintsofiledopriorotoo01.09.2018;othusotheosameowaso notoaccepted.oFurther,oSectiono148oofotheoN.I.oAct,o1881oenvisagesodepositoofo minimumo20%oamountoandoSectiono148oofotheoN.I.oAct,o1881ostartsowithoao nonoobstanteoclause.o

11.o o Further,o Hon'bleo theo Apexo Courto ino theo secondo roundo ofo litigation,o ino theo aboveo referredo Surindero Singho Deswal'so caseo (supra)o furtheroconsideredotheoissue,owhereotheosuspensionoofosentenceowasosubjectotoo theoconditionoofodepositoofo25%oofotheoamountoofocompensationoandowheno theo conditiono foro suspensiono ofo sentenceo waso noto compliedo with,o theo concernedoAdditionaloSessionsoJudge,ohadotakenotheoviewothatotheoorderoofo suspensionoofosentenceoshallobeodeemedotoohaveobeenovacatedoandotheoHigho Courto hado upheldo theo viewo ofo learnedo Additionalo Sessionso Judge.o Accordingly,otheoHon'bleoApexoCourtoinoSurinderoSinghoDeswalo@oCol.o S.S.oDeswalo&oOrs.ovsoVirenderoGandhio&Anr.o2020(1)ooR.C.R.o(Criminal)oo o 604,oheldoasoundero:-o oo "13.o Theo secondo roundo ofo litigationo whicho waso initiatedo byo theo appellanto byo filingo applicationo undero Sectiono482oCr.P.C.,o1973owasoagainstotheoorderodatedo

20.07.2019o passedo byo theo Additionalo Sessionso Judge,o PanchkulaobyowhichoAdditionaloSessionsoJudgeoheldothato theo appellanto havingo noto compliedo witho theo directiono datedo 01.12.2018o too deposito 25%o ofo theo amounto ofo compensation,otheoorderoofosuspensionoofosentenceoshallo beo deemedo too haveo beeno vacated.o Theo ordero datedo

20.07.2019o waso ano ordero passedo byo theo Additionalo SessionsoJudgeoonoaccountoofofailureoofotheoappellantotoo deposito 25%o ofo theo amounto ofo compensation.o Theo suspensionoofosentenceoono01.12.2018owasosubjectotootheo conditiono ofo deposito ofo 25%o ofo theo amounto ofo compensation,o wheno theo conditiono foro suspensiono ofo sentenceo waso noto compliedo with,o learnedo Additionalo SessionsoJudgeowasorightoinotakingotheoviewothatoorderoofo suspensiono ofo sentenceo shallo beo deemedo too haveo beeno vacated.oChallengeotooorderodatedo20.07.2019ohasorightlyo beenorepelledobyotheoHighoCourtobyoitsoelaborateoandowello consideredojudgmentodatedo10.09.2019.o …ooooo18.o…oWhenosuspensionoofosentenceobyotheotrialo courtoisograntedoonoaocondition,ononocomplianceoofotheo conditiono haso adverseo effecto ono theo continuanceo ofo suspensionoofosentence.oTheoCourtowhichohasosuspendedo theo sentenceo ono ao condition,o aftero noticingo non-complianceoofotheoconditionocanoveryowelloholdothatotheo suspensiono ofo sentenceo standso vacatedo dueo too non-compliance.oTheoorderoofotheoAdditionaloSessionsoJudgeo declaringo thato dueo too non-complianceo ofo conditiono ofo deposito ofo 25%o ofo theo amounto ofo compensation,o suspensionoofosentenceostandsovacatedoisowellowithinotheo jurisdictionoofotheoSessionsoCourtoandonooerrorohasobeeno committedobyotheoAdditionaloSessionsoJudgeoinopassingo theoorderodatedo20.07.2019.o o o 19.o ItoisoforotheoAppellateoCourtowhoohasograntedo suspensionoofosentenceotootakeocalloononon-complianceoando takeoappropriateodecision.oWhatoorderoisotoobeopassedobyo theo Appellateo Courto ino sucho circumstanceso iso foro theo Appellateo Courto too considero ando decide.o However,o non-complianceoofotheoconditionoofosuspensionoofosentenceoiso sufficientotoodeclareosuspensionoofosentenceoasohavingobeeno vacated."o

12.o o Recently,o ao Co-ordinateo Bencho ofo thiso Courto inooooooooooooooooo Harwindero Singho vso Mohano o Lalo o o 2022(1)o o R.C.R.o o (Criminal)o 136,ooo framedootheofollowingoquestiono:-o

7.oo xxxo o o xxxo Q.o Whethero whileo suspendingo theo sentenceo ofo theo applicant/convict,otheoAppellateoCourtoinoanoappealoagainsto convictionounderosectiono138oofotheoN.I.oAct,ocanoimposeoao conditiono thato ono non-deposito ofo minimumo ofo twentyo percento ofo theo fine/compensationo awardedo byo theo trialo court,oasoorderedobyotheoAppellateocourtowhileoexercisingo itsopowersounderosectiono148oofotheoNIoAct,otheobenefitoofo suspensiono ofo sentenceo wouldo beo liableo too beo automatically/consequentlyovacated?o o

13.o o AfterodiscussingotheolawoonoSectiono148oofotheoN.I.oAct,o1881,oito wasoheldoinoparaoNo.19oofoHarwinderoSingh'socaseo(supra)oasoundero:-o o o "19.o Thato theo Appellateo Courto ino ano appealo againstoconvictionounderoSectiono138oofotheoN.IoAct,owhileo suspendingotheosentenceoofotheoAppellant/Convict,ohasotheo powero too imposeo aoconditiono thato ono non-deposito ofo theo fine/compensation,o theo benefito ofo suspensiono ofo sentenceo wouldo beo liableo too beo automatically/consequentlyo vacated."o

14.o o SimilaroviewohasobeenotakenobyothisoCourtoinoM/soWhiteoHorseo NetworkoServicesoPvt.oLtd.o&Anr.ovsoStateoofoHaryanao&Anr.o(CRM-M-60897-2022odecidedoono04.01.2023.o

15.o o Ino viewo ofo theo aforesaido discussion,o thereo iso noo forceo ino theo submissionsoofolearnedocounseloforotheopetitionerothatotheoloweroAppellateo Courto whileo grantingo bailo undero Sectiono 389o ofo theo Codeo ofo Criminalo Procedureocannotomakeoitosubjectotoocomplianceoofodirectionotoodepositoaoparto ofo compensationo amounto awardedo byo theo trialo Court,o aso providedo undero Sectiono148oofotheoN.IoAct,o1881.oo

16.o o Accordingly,o thiso Courto doeso noto seeo anyo reasono too interfereo withotheoimpugnedoorderodatedo26.04.2023o(AnnexureoP-3)opassedobyotheo learnedoloweroappellateoCourt.oThereoisonooillegalityooroperversityoinotheoordero datedo26.04.2023o(AnnexureoP-3)oandopresentopetition,obeingodevoidoofoanyo merit,oisoherebyodismissed.o

17.o o Allopendingoapplication/s,oifoany,oshallostandoclosed.o o o o o ndMayo22 ,o2023o o o o o o (HARSHoBUNGER)o gurpreeto o o o o o o o JUDGEo Whetherospeaking/reasoned:o o Yes/Noo Whetheroreportable:o o o Yes/No