Cheque bounce case: Court sentences trader to 2-year imprisonment

Shopian, Dec 20: A local court in South Kashmir’s Shopian district has awarded two-year imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh to an accused in a cheque bounce case.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Shopian in its judgment observed that: “I hold the accused guilty for the commission of an offense under section 138 Negotiable Instrument Act, as such is convicted who shall undergo for the imprisonment of 2 years and double the cheque amount with 10% interest with Rs. 50,000 as compensation from the date of its issuance which shall be paid to the complainant.”
The court as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust directed the prosecuting officer to take custody of the accused so that he shall serve imprisonment.
The court judgment came in response to a petition filed by the complainant Zahid Amin Malik, a resident of Chowgam Shopian wherein he through his Counsel stated that he is dealing in business of electrical appliances having godown at Bijbehara besides having an office at Nowgam, Srinagar. The accused ‘ANT Enterprises Srigufwara Anantnag whose proprietor is Nisar Ahmed Thukroo of Kanelwan Bijbehara purchased certain electrical goods from him including wires, cables etc for an amount of Rs. 7,46,326 and in order to satisfy the above legally enforceable debt of said amount the accused issued three cheques bearing No.830559 dated 21.08.2023 for an amount of Rs. 4,57,568, bearing no: 830560 dated 25.08.2023 for an amount of Rs. 1,44,379 and another cheque bearing no: 830561 dated 830561 for an amount of Rs. 1,44,379 to the complainant to be encashed at JK Bank Ltd B/U Court Road, Shopian but the concerned bank returned the cheques due to insufficient funds.
The accused admitted his crime in the court of law, however, court didn’t oblige and said in a criminal case there is either acquittal or conviction. [KNT]