IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
Crl.Rev.Pet.No. 3989 of 2010()
1. FATHIMA JALALUDEEN,W/O.JALALUDEEN,
... Petitioner
Vs
1. R.GANESH KUMAR,S/O.RAMACHANDRA KAIMAL,
... Respondent
2. STATE OF KERALA,REP.BY THE PUBLIC
For Petitioner :SRI.SAIJU S.
For Respondent : No Appearance
The Hon'ble MR. Justice V.RAMKUMAR
Dated :11/01/2011
O R D E R
V.RAMKUMAR, J.
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Crl.R.P.No.3989 of 2010
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Dated this the 11th day of January, 2011
O R D E R
In this Revision Petition filed under Section 397 read with
Sec. 401 Cr.P.C. the petitioner, who was the accused in
S.T.No.20/2006 on the file of the J.F.C.M-III, Kollam, challenges
the conviction entered and the sentence passed against her for
an offence punishable under Sec. 138 of the Negotiable
Instruments Act, 1881 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Act’). The
cheque amount was `1,25,000/- (Rupees one lakh twenty five
thousand only). The compensation ordered by the lower
appellate court is `1,25,000/- (Rupees one lakh twenty five
thousand only).
2. I heard the learned counsel for the Revision Petitioner
and the learned Public Prosecutor.
3. The learned counsel appearing for the Revision
Petitioner re-iterated the contentions in support of the Revision.
4. The courts below have concurrently held that the
cheque in question was drawn by the petitioner in favour of the
complainant, that the complainant had validly complied with
Crl.R..P. No.3989 /2010 -:2:-
clauses (a) and (b) of the proviso to Section 138 of the Act. and
that the Revision Petitioner/accused failed to make the payment
within 15 days of receipt of the statutory notice. Both the
courts have considered and rejected the defence set up by the
revision petitioner while entering the conviction. The said
conviction has been recorded after a careful evaluation of the
oral and documentary evidence. This Court sitting in the
rarefied revisional jurisdiction will be loath to interfere with the
findings of fact recorded by the Courts below concurrently. I
do not find any error, illegality or impropriety in the conviction
so recorded concurrently by the courts below and the same is
hereby confirmed.
5. What now survives for consideration is the legality of
the sentence imposed on the revision petitioner. No doubt,
now after the decision of the Apex Court in Vijayan v.
Sadanandan K. and Another (2009) 6 SCC 652 it is
permissible for the Court to slap a default sentence of
imprisonment while awarding compensation under Sec. 357 (3)
Cr.P.C. But, in that event, a sentence of imprisonment will
be inevitable. I am, however, of the view that in the facts and
circumstances of this case a sentence of fine with an
Crl.R..P. No.3989 /2010 -:3:-
appropriate default sentence will suffice. Accordingly, for
the conviction under Section 138 of the Act the revision
petitioner is sentenced to pay a fine of `1,35,000/- (Rupees
one lakh thirty five thousand only). The said fine shall be
paid as compensation under Section 357 (1) Cr.P.C. The
revision petitioner is permitted either to deposit the said fine
amount before the Court below or directly pay the compensation
to the complainant within 5 months from today and produce a
memo to that effect before the trial Court in case of direct
payment. If she fails to deposit or pay the said amount within
the aforementioned period she shall suffer simple imprisonment
for three months by way of default sentence.
In the result, this Revision is disposed of confirming the
conviction entered but modifying the sentence imposed on the
revision petitioner.
Dated this the 11th day of January, 2011.
V. RAMKUMAR, JUDGE.
sj