Allahabad High Court
Surendra Kumar Sakuja vs State Of U.P. And Another on 23 August, 2025
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
?Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:145641
Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:145641
Court No. - 75
Case :- APPLICATION U/S 528 BNSS No. - 31263 of 2025
Applicant :- Surendra Kumar Sakuja
Opposite Party :- State of U.P. and Another
Counsel for Applicant :- Mohd. Naushad Siddiqui,Raj Narayan Singh
Counsel for Opposite Party :- G.A.
Hon'ble Vikas Budhwar,J.
1. Heard Sri Mohd. Naushad Siddiqui, learned counsel for the applicant as well as Sri J.P. Gupta, learned AGA for the State/opposite party no.1
2. In view of the order, which is being proposed to be passed, notices are not being issued to O.P. No. 2
3. This application under Section 528 of the B.N.S.S. has been filed by the applicant to quash the the impugned order dated 30.06.2025 passed by Civil Judge (Junior Division)-I/J.M., Hapur in complaint Case No.95 of 2024 (Rakesh Somani Vs. Surendra Kumar Sakuja) under section 138 of Negotiable Instrument Act, Police Station-Hapur Nagar, District Hapur
4. The case of the applicant is that complaint was lodged by the opposite party no.2 against the applicant on 24.11.2023 under Section 138 of the N.I. Act with an allegation that with respect to discharge of a liability, the applicant had drawn a cheque bearing no.380442 dated 12.10.2023 for an amount of Rs.15,00,000/- which on presentation in the bank came to be dishonoured on 19.10.2023 followed by a statutory demand notice dated 24.11.2023 and the complaint on 23.10.2023 pursuant whereto the applicant came to be summoned under Section 138 of the N.I. Act on 20.12.2023. Thereafter, an application under Section 143A of the N.I. Act came to be preferred by the opposite party no.2 for the grant of compensation which came to be objected by the applicant on 30.6.2025 the court of Civil Judge (Junior Division)-I/J.M., Hapur in Complaint Case No.95 of 2024 (Rakesh Somani Vs. Surendra Kumar Sakuja) proceeded to accord interim compensation to the tune of 20% of the total amount of Rs.15,00,000/-.
5. Questioning the said order the present application has been preferred.
6. Learned counsel for the applicant has submitted that the order dated 30.6.2025 passed by the court of Civil Judge (Junior Division)-I/J.M., Hapur according interim compensation to the tune of 20% under Section 143A of the N.I. Act cannot be sustained for a single reason that none of the criteria which have been mandated by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of Rakesh Ranjan Srivastava vs. State of Jharkhand 2024 INSC 205 has been considered. Further submission is that there are various criteria including the criteria regarding prima facie evaluation of the case of the merits of the complainant and the accused the financial distress of the accused, if a discretion is being taken for grant of interim compensation then the quantum of interim compensation and also the issue relatable to the relationship of the parties and the nature of the transaction. He has also submitted that though in the order impugned the financial distress of the opposite party no.2 has only been taken into consideration but the financial distress of the applicant has not been taken into consideration and there has been no consideration after prima facie on the merits of the claim and further also to the quantum of the compensation. He submits that though the applicant had placed the judgment in the case of Rakesh Ranjan Srivastava (supra) which has been referred to in the objection of the applicant but the court below had relied upon a decision of Karnataka High Court in the case of V. Krishnamurthy V. Diary Classic Ice Creams Pvt. (2022) SCC OnLine Kar 1047. Further submission is that the order be set aside, matter be remitted back to the court below to pass a fresh order.
7. Learned AGA on the other hand submits that once the cheques stood drawn and it was dishonoured then the presumption under Section 139 of the N.I.Act would be there, however, he could not dispute the fact that the law in this regard is crystalized in Rakesh Ranjan Srivastava (supra). He further submits that the order be set aside, matter be remitted back to the court below to pass a fresh order.
8. I have heard the submissions so made across the bar and perused the record carefully. The order dated 30.6.2025 impugned in the present application is quoted herein under :-
??????? 30.06.2025
???????? ??? ???? ???????? ?????? ???????? ????????? ???? ???????? ???? 143 ? ??.??. ???? ???? ??? ????????? ?? ????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???
??????? ?????? ????????? ???? ???????? ???? 143 ? ??.??. ???? ?? ??? ?? ???????? ???? ??? ?? ????????/??????? ?? ????? ??? ????? ??????? ??? ???????? / ??????? ?? ???????? ?? 15 ??? ????? ???? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ???????? / ??????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ?? ??? ??? 15 ??? ????? ???? ???? ??, ?? ????????/??????? ?? ????? ????? ?? ???????? ?? ?? ??? 15 ??? ?? ???? ????????? ???? ?? ???? ??, ?? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ????????/??????? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ??? ???? ???? ??, ?????? ???????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ?? ??? ???????? ?? ????? ??????? ?? ?? ??? ??? ????????/??????? ?? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ????? ????? ??????? ??, ???? ???? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???????? ??? ????????/??????? ?? ???? ???????? ?? ???????? ???? 143 (?) ??.??. ???? ?? ???????? 20 ??????? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??? ????????/??????? ?? ???? ?????? ? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ??????? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? 143 (?) ??. ??. ???? ?? ???????? 20 ??????? ?????? ?????? ???? ???????? ??? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ???????? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ???????? / ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ? ????? ?????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ???? 143 (?) ??.??. ???? ?? ???????? ???????? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? 20 ??????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ???? ?? ???? ?????
???? ?????? ???????/???????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??????? ?????? ??? ???????? ?????? ??????? ???? ??? ??????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??????? ????????? ???? ???????? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ????????? ???? ?????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ????? ???? ?????????? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ??? ???? ??? ???? ????????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ???????? / ???????? ?? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ??? ???????? / ???????? ?? 68 ?????? ????? ? ???????? ????? ??????? ??? ????????/???????? ?? ????? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ???????? / ???????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ???? ? ???? ????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??? ??? ???? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ??? ??? ??? ????????/???????? ?? ??????? ?????? ??? ? ???????? ?? ???????? / ???????? ?? ??? ?? ???????? ?? ???? ?????? ??? ??, ??? ????? ??? ?????? ???????? ????? ?? (??.??.)/??.??.??. ????? / ??????? ???????? ????? ?? ???? ????????? ?????? ??? 1145/2024 ????? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ??????? ????? ?????? ?? ?????? 17.03.2025 ?? ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ???? 420, 452, 504, 506 ??.??.??. ?? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ???? ??? ??, ????? ?????? ?? ?? ??????? ?? ???????? / ???????? ?? ??????? ??????? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ????????? ???? ???????? ???? 143 (?) ??.??. ???? ????? ???? ???? ????? ???
???? ??? ???????? ?? ?????? ?????
???????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ?? ?? ??????? ?????? ???????? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? 20 ??????? ??? ???? ???? ???? ???? ????????? ???? ???????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?? ???? 143 (?) ?????????? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ???????? ??? ???? 143 (?) ?????????? ??? ?? ?????????? ???? ??? ?? ??
?143A- Power to direct interim compensation-
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the court trying an offence under section 138 may order the drawer of the cheque to pay interim compensation to the complainant-
(a) in a summary trial or a summons case, where he pleads not guilty to the accusation made in the complaint and
(b) in any other case upon framing of charge
(2) The interim compensation under sub-section (1) shall not exceed twenty percent of the amount of the cheque-
???? ???????? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ?? ?????????? ?????????? ?? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ??, ????? ??????? ??? ???????? ???????? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ?? ?????? ?? 20 ??????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ????? ?? ???? ??? ???? ???????? ?? ????? ??? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ???? ???????? ??????? ?????? ???? ???????? ??????? V. Krishnamurthy V. Diary Classic ice creams Pvt Ltd- (2022) ??? ?? ??????? ???? ??? ?? ??-
While considering applications filed under Section 143A of the Act, notice at the outset the conduct of the accused- If the accused has been unnecessarily evading the proceedings by seeking adjournments consideration of the application would become imperative as the amendment itself is introduced to compensate such payees of delay tactics adopted by unscrupulous drawers of cheques. ?????? ???? ???????? ?????? ?? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ?? ?????????? ?????????? ?? ???? ????? ?? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ?? ?? ???? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ????????? ?? ?? ????? ?? ????? ?? ?? ??? ?? ?? ?? 1 ??????? ?? 20 ??????? ?? ????? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ???????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ??????? ???? ?? ???? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ?? ?????? ??? ?? ?????? ? ???????? ?? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ??? ???? ?????
???????? ?? ??????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ?? ???? ????????? ???? ???????? ???? 143 ? ?????????? ?? ?????? ???????? ?? ??? ??, ?????? ??????? ?? ????????? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??? ??? ???????? ?? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ???????? ???????? ?????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??? ??? ???? ???????? ???????? ?? ??????? ???????? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????? ? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ??? ?? ?? ????????? ?? ?? ???? 143 ?. 3 ?. ?????????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?? ???????? ??????? ?? ??? ?? ????? ??, ?????? ??? ???????? ??????? ????????? ??? ????? ????? ?? ??? ?? ?? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ????? ??? ?? ????????? ?? ?? ???????? ?????? ????? ??????? ??? ???????? ??? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ?? ?? ??????? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ??, ???? ???? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???????? ??? ??????? ?????? ???????? ?? ????????? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ??? ???????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? 20 ??????? ??? ????? ????????? ?????? ???? ???
????
??????? ?????? ???????? ????????? ???? ??????? ???? 143 ?. ?????????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ???????? ??? ?????? 380442, ???? 15,00,000/-????? ?? 20 ??????? ???? 3,00,000/- ????? 60 ???? ?? ????? ??????? ?? ??? ?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????????? ??????? ?? ??? ??? ?? ????? ??????? ???????? ?? ???????? ???? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ???? 143 ? ????????? ???? ??????? (4) ?? ????????? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ?????? ???????? ?? ?????????? ???? ?? ??????? ???? ??????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ????????? ?????? 18.07.2025 ?? ??? ????
9. A perusal of the order dated 30.6.2025 according interim compensation would reveal that none of the condition which ought to have been considered in the light of the judgement in the case of Rakesh Ranjan Srivastava (supra) had been noticed and moreover reliance has been placed upon the judgement in V. Krishnamurthy (supra) without considering the prima facie merits of the case of the accused as well as the complainant financial distress and the quantum of compensation. Since the aforesaid exercise is lacking so the order dated 30.6.2025 passed by the court below cannot be sustained.
10. Accordingly, the present application stands disposed of.
11. The order dated 30.6.2025 passed by Civil Judge (Junior Division)-I/J.M., Hapur in complaint Case No.95 of 2024 (Rakesh Somani Vs. Surendra Kumar Sakuja) according interim compensation is set aside.
12. The matter is remitted back to the court below to pass fresh order with most expedition.
13. In order to facilitate expeditious disposal of the matter, the applicant is to furnish the certified copy of the order by 04.09.2025.
14. The applicant is represented before this Court through his counsel, thus, the applicant shall not take any adjournment, in case, adjournment is being granted for any eventuality then the same should be on the genuine reasons and not more than ten days at a stretch.
Order Date :- 23.8.2025
N.S.Rathour
(Vikas Budhwar, J)
