Section 138 of NI Act in Hindi & English

 Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 in Hindi and English

Section 138 of NI Act in English:

Dishonour of cheque for insufficiency, etc., of funds in the account - Where any cheque drawn by a person on an account maintained by him with a banker for payment of any amount of money to another person from out of that account for the discharge, in whole or in part of any debt or other liability, is returned by the bank unpaid. either because of the amount of money standing to the credit of that account is insufficient to provisions of this Act, be punished with imprisonment for '[a term which may be extended to two years), or with fine which may extend to twice the amount of the cheque, or with both:

Provided that, nothing contained in this section shall apply unless

(a) the cheque has been presented to the bank within a period of six months? from the date on which it is drawn or within the period of its validity, whichever is earlier;

(b) the payee or the holder in due course of the cheque, as the case may be, makes a demand for the payment of the said amount of money by giving a notice in writing, to the drawer of the cheque. [within thirty days] of the receipt of information by him from the bank regarding the return of the cheque as unpaid; and

(c) the drawer of such cheque fails to make the payment of the said amount of money to the payee or as the case may be, to the holder in due course of the cheque within fifteen days of the receipt of the said notice.

Explanation — For the purposes of this section. "debt or other liability" means a legally enforceable debt or other liability.

Supreme Court of India Important Judgments Related to Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 : 

P. Mohanraj vs M/S. Shah Brothers Ispat Pvt. Ltd. on 1 March, 2021

Dashrath Rupsingh Rathod vs State Of Maharashtra & Anr on 1 August, 2014

Sita Ram Paliwal vs Rajasthan State Agro on 19 September, 2014

Yogendra Pratap Singh vs Savitri Pandey & Anr on 19 September, 2014

M/S Laxmi Dyechem vs State Of Gujarat & Ors on 27 November, 2012

Msr Leathers vs S. Palaniappan And Anr on 26 September, 2012

Goa Plast (P) Ltd vs Chico Ursula D'Souza on 20 November, 2003

N. Harihara Krishnan vs J. Thomas on 30 August, 2017

Goaplast Pvt. Ltd vs Shri Chico Ursula D'Souza & Anr on 7 March, 2003

M/S Modi Cements Limited vs Shri Kuchil Kumar Nandi on 22 March, 1998

Aneeta Hada vs M/S Godfather Travels & Tourson 8 May, 2008

M/S. Modi Cements Ltd vs Shri Kuchil Kumar Nandi on 2 March, 1998

Kirshna Texport & Capital Marketsvs Ila A Agrawal & Ors on 6 May, 2015

M/S Escorts Ltd vs Rama Mukherjee on 17 September, 2013

Yogendra Pratap Singh vs Savitri Pandey & Anr on 3 April, 2012

Aparna A.Shah vs M/S Sheth Developers P.Ltd.& Anr on 1 July, 2013

Nepc Micon Limited And Others vs Magma Leasing Limited on 29 April, 1999

Indian Bank Association & Ors vs Union Of India & Anr on 21 January, 1947

M/S Indus Airways Pvt. Ltd And Ors vs M/S Magnum Aviation Pvt Ltd And Anr on 7 April, 2014

Kamlesh Kumar vs State Of Bihar & Anr on 11 December, 2013

M/S Meters And Instruments vs Kanchan Mehta on 5 October, 2017

A.C. Narayanan vs State Of Maharashtra & Anr on 13 September, 2013

Devendra Kishanlal Dagalia vs Dwarkesh Diamonds Pvt Ltd And Ors on 25 November, 2013

Vinay Kumar Shailendra vs Delhi High Court Legal on 4 September, 2014

Nishant Aggarwal vs Kailash Kumar Sharma on 1 July, 2013

Ashok Yeshwant Badave vs Surendra Madhavrao Nighojakar on 14 March, 2001

Kusum Ingots And Alloys Ltd vs Pennar Peterson Securities Ltd. on 23 February, 2000

R. Vijayan vs Baby & Anr on 11 October, 2011

धारा 138 परक्राम्य लिखत अधिनियम, 1881 का विवरण

लेखों में जमा राशि अपर्याप्त होने आदि के कारण चैकों का अनादृत हो जाना -- जहाँ किसी व्यक्ति द्वारा किसी बैंक में संधारित अपने खाते में से अपने किसी ऋण अथवा अन्य दायित्व से भागतः या पूर्णतः उन्मोचित होने के लिए कोई चैक दिया जाता है और वह चैक खाते में अपर्याप्त राशि होने के कारण अथवा पहले से ही उस खाते में से किन्हीं अन्य व्यक्तियों को संदाय करने का करार कर दिये जाने के कारण बैंक द्वारा बिना भुगतान किये पुनः लौटा दिया जाता है, वहाँ यह समझा जायेगा कि उस व्यक्ति ने अपराध कारित किया है और उसे इस अधिनियम के अन्य उपबंधों पर प्रतिकूल प्रभाव डाले बिना, उतनी अवधि के कारावास से जो कि दो वर्ष तक की हो सकेगी अथवा उतनी राशि के जुर्माने से जो चैक की राशि से दुगुनी तक हो सकेगी अथवा दोनों से दण्डित किया जा सकेगा :

परन्तु इस धारा की कोई बात तब तक लागू नहीं होगी, जब तक कि :

(क) वह चैक जारी होने की तिथि से छ: मास के अंदर अथवा उसके विधिमान्य रहने की अवधि के अंदर, जो भी पूर्व हो, बैंक में पेश नहीं कर दिया जाता;

(ख) चैक के अधीन राशि पाने वाला अथवा सामान्य अनुक्रम में चैक का धारक, यथास्थिति, बैंक से चैक के अनादृत होकर लौटने की तिथि से तीस दिवस के अंदर चैक के लेखीवाल को शोध्य राशि का संदाय करने के आशय की लिखित सूचना नहीं दे देता; और

(ग) लेखीवाल उस सूचना की प्राप्ति के पन्द्रह दिन के अंदर उस व्यक्ति को जो चैक के अधीन राशि प्राप्त करने वाला हो अथवा जो सामान्य अनुक्रम में चैक का धारक हो, उस राशि का संदाय करने में असफल नहीं रहता है।

स्पष्टीकरण -- इस धारा के प्रयोजनार्थ “ऋण अथवा अन्य दायित्व" से अभिप्राय विधितया प्रवर्तनीय ऋण अथवा अन्य दायित्व से है ।

Some Useful Information and Questions / Answers about Cheque Bounce Cases / Dishonor of Cheque Cases:

Is Section 138 a bailable Offence?

An offence committed under Section 138 is a non-cognizable offence (a case in which a police officer cannot arrest the accused without an arrest warrant). Also, it is a bailable offence.

What is the time limit for Cheque bounce case?

As per Negotiable Instruments Act, legal notice must be sent within 30 days from the date of cheque bounce. Thereafter within 15+30=45 days from the date of sending the legal notice, case must be filed. In case the case is filed beyound that time then the same shall be time barred.

What is the main objective of section 138 of Negotiable Instrument Act?

The objective of sec 138 of NI Act is To promote the efficiency of banking operations and to ensure credibility in transacting business through cheques is mentioned in the case law Modi Cements Ltd.

How do I file a case under Section 138?

The following basic documents are necessary to file Complaint under section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act.

Memo of Parties.

Complaint U/S 138 Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

Pre-Summoning Evidence/ By Way Of Affidavit (in some courts)

List of Witnesses.

List of Documents with Documents.

Can I get bail in Cheque bounce case?

Bail in cheque bounce is a matter of right of the accused as it's a bailable offence. So you have to give an bail application through your advocate and have to give security as per the orders of the judicial magistrate

What is the punishment for Section 138?

Section 138 provides that when the cheque is dishonored for insufficiency of funds or for any of the prescribed reasons, the one who is at defaulter can be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine which may extend to twice the amount of the cheque, or both.

Who can file complaints section 138?

A complaint under section 138 of the Act can be filed only by the payee of the dishonoured cheque or by the holder in due course as mandated by Section 142 of the Act.