Six months imprisonment in cheque bounce case

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The First Class Judicial Magistrate D.S. Pisal of Vaijapur sentenced Sunil Tulshiram Matsagar (34, Janephal, Taluka Vaijapur) to six months of rigorous imprisonment in a cheque bounce case involving the Lokvikas Urban Cooperative Credit Society.

In addition to the jail term, Matsagar has been ordered to pay a compensation of Rs 1.5 lakh. The court further stated that failure to pay the compensation would result in an additional month of imprisonment. The case stemmed from Matsagar’s loan default with Lokvikas Urban Cooperative Credit Society. Unable to repay the loan, Matsagar issued a cheque worth Rs 1.19 lakh on August 31, 2019, drawn from the State Bank of India, Vaijapur branch. When the cheque was presented, it was dishonoured due to insufficient funds. The society then issued a legal notice through Advocate S.S. Magar, but Matsagar failed to respond, prompting the society to file a criminal case under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. In the trial, the complainant, Shashikant Vishnu Nikale, presented solid evidence, including the dishonoured cheque, bank memo, and receipt of notice, all legally admissible. Matsagar did not challenge the evidence and failed to appear for hearings for two consecutive years. On January 25, 2023, charges were framed, and the trial began on March 24, 2023. The court found Matsagar guilty of dishonouring the cheque and sentenced him to six months in prison, with the additional condition of paying compensation. Furthermore, the court revoked his bail bond.