Bathinda man gets 2-year rigorous imprisonment in cheque bounce case

The accused, Sukhdev Khan, a resident of Bathinda and the authorised signatory for Shiva Pesticides and Seed Store, Phul, Bathinda, was convicted under Section 139 of the Negotiable Instruments Act

A local court has awarded two-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) to a representative of a pesticide distributor in a cheque bounce case.

As per case files, a public limited company had supplied pesticides worth ₹4.22 lakh to the distributor in 2018, for which the latter issued a payment cheque on July 11, 2018. However, it was dishonoured, as the bank account was found closed. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The accused, Sukhdev Khan, a resident of Bathinda and the authorised signatory for Shiva Pesticides and Seed Store, Phul, Bathinda, was convicted under Section 139 of the Negotiable Instruments (NI) Act.

As per case files, a public limited company had supplied pesticides worth ₹4.22 lakh to the distributor in 2018, for which the latter issued a payment cheque on July 11, 2018. However, it was dishonoured, as the bank account was found closed.

In court, the accused’s defence counsel argued that he was being falsely implicated and the invoices were forged, However, the complainant’s counsel, Ravi Inder Singh, contended that it was Khan’s signature on the documents and a legal presumption under the NI Act arose, which the accused had failed to rebut.

After hearing the arguments, the court convicted the accused and directed him to clear the payment of ₹4.22 lakh.