How to File Case Against Cheque Bounce?

By Team Legal Helpline India, December 27, 2014

IMPORTANT: For urgent requirements of file case against cheque bounce, mail us the facts at contact us box of our website.

BRIEF DISCUSSION ON HOW TO FILE CASE AGAINST CHEQUE BOUNCE

Cheque bounce is a criminal offense under The Negotiable Instruments Act which deals with the subject of cheque bouncing, Cheque dishonor or Cheque return matters.

Cheque bouncing happens when a person has issued a Cheque without maintaining a sufficient amount in his account as a result of the same when the Cheque is presented for encashment; the same is returned by the bank unpaid which is termed as bouncing of Cheque.

The law related to the bouncing of Cheque is contained in the Negotiable Instruments Act.  Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act deals with the bouncing of Cheque besides the provisions under the IPC and the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1973. The case of cheque bouncing is tried as a summary trial case before the court of Magistrate under the Criminal Procedure Code of 1973. We have tried to explain the process in our article How to File Case Against Cheque Bounce and the steps involved in brief as under.

STEPS INVOLVED

STEP-I OF HOW TO FILE CASE AGAINST CHEQUE BOUNCE:

Notice:

Notice is the first step of how to file a case against cheque bouncing. Notice against bouncing of Cheque is to be issued within one month of the date of return of the Cheque by the bankers. Service of notice on the person issuing the Cheque is mandatory; the mode of service of notice can be any recorded delivery which is admitted as evidence under the Indian Evidence Act.

The notice should be sent by Registered AD., Speed Post only. The purpose of making such provision is to make the person issuing the Cheque aware about the fact that the Cheque issued by him has been returned by his bankers due to insufficiency of funds in the account and he has to make arrangement for the amount within the stipulated period and intimate the banker as well as the person to whom the Cheque has been given by him.

STEP-II OF HOW TO FILE CASE AGAINST CHEQUE BOUNCE:

Filing of Complaint:

The filing of the complaint is the second important stage of how to file case against cheque bounce and should be done carefully through a highly qualified lawyer. The complaint is to be filed before the Magistrate of the area concerned within 30 days from the date of dispatch of notice under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.

STEP-III OF HOW TO FILE CASE AGAINST CHEQUE BOUNCE:

Notice to the accused:

The court issued notice to the accused person or the person who has issued the cheque after the filing of the complaint and the said person is required to appear before the court and seek bail from the court and contest the matter if any friable issue is raised by him.

STEP-IV OF HOW TO FILE CASE AGAINST CHEQUE BOUNCE:

Evidence:

The evidence in support of the complaint is the cheque, the memo issued by the bank and the record showing the service of notice on the person who has issued the cheque and all other relevant documents in support of the matter which can prove that the accused is under legal obligation to pay the amount under the bounced cheque.

STEP-V OF HOW TO FILE CASE AGAINST CHEQUE BOUNCE:

Process of Trail:

The process of trial for cases under Section 138 of the NI Act is summary and the court has to take into consideration the records furnished by the complainant and the evidence in support. The complainant is asked to lead his evidence during which he summons the records from the bank related to the cheque. The accused is given the opportunity to cross-examine. The accused is thereafter asked to lead his evidence and rebut the allegations against him.
The court then proceeds to dispose of the matter on the merits and accordingly arguments on all issues are head and the matter is decided accordingly.

STEP-VI OF HOW TO FILE CASE AGAINST CHEQUE BOUNCE:

Punishment:
The punishment as contained under Section 138 of the NI Act is two years and a penalty of the amount equal to two times the amount as mentioned on the cheque.

The person who has issued the cheque can be jailed besides the direction to pay double the amount of money as mentioned on the cheque and the court may also impose the penalty on the said person.

ATTENTION: As per the latest judgment of the Supreme Court, all cases filed under the Negotiable Instruments Act for bouncing of cheques can only be filed within the territorial jurisdiction of the courts where the drawee bank is located. This limits the jurisdiction of filing of the cases against bouncing of cheques at all other places other than the drawee’s branch of the bank.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
For urgent requirements of lawyer for cheque bouncing case, mail us the facts at contact us box of our website.

Spread the legal knowledge

9 thoughts on “How to File Case Against Cheque Bounce?”

  1. Dear Sir,
    I have a bounced cheque of Rs. 18 lacs and party has been misguiding us since last 2 moths. Plz advise how can we recover. What is proper legal way.

    1. If it is more than two years and less than 3 years, then file a civil suit for recovery. If it is within two years, file a summary suit under Order 37 CPC. No criminal proceedings will lie.

  2. Respected govt
    Subject complaint against the fraud by cheque
    I have bounced cheque, and i want to file a case against party.
    Himanshu Taneja , 9560135001
    Thanks and Regards,

  4. SIR, WE as a team have multiple bounced cheque which issued from same person.due to busy schedule we cant go to court or anywhere kindly suggest me better solution regarding this.

  5. Dear Sir/Mam,

    I have bounced cheque, and i want to file a case against party.

    Thanks and Regards,
    Umang Rastogi

Comments are closed.

Recent Post