Firm owner walks free in cheque-bounce case

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 2

A local court has acquitted a firm owner in a cheque-bounce case of over Rs 17 lakh.

Life Vision Health Care, Chandigarh, had filed a complaint against Pindi Pharmaceuticals, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, through its proprietor Tushit Raj Singh.

The complaint was filed by Vivek Syal, manager, Life Vision Health Care. The firm had business dealings with Tushit, who had visited their firm several times for purchase of medicines. An order was placed and it was supplied to Tushit Raj Singh in 2012-13.

It was alleged that Tushit issued a post-dated cheque for May 15, 2013 of Rs 17.67 lakh. When the cheque was presented in the bank, it was returned dishonoured on account of “invalid account number”.

Defence counsel Ravi Inder Singh said suspect Tushit was appointed as carrying and forwarding agent of the complainant company for doing business on behalf of the complainant and one bank account was opened in the name of Tushit’s firm Pindi Pharmaceutical at Lucknow in ING Vyasa Bank and a cheque book was issued for carrying out the business of the firm.

Initially, one or two cheques were issued by Tushit to the complainant. After that on the basis of mutual understanding between them, Tushit Raj Singh handed over the blank signed cheque book to the complainant in order to run the business of the firm.

As and when any payment was received from customers for supplying the medicines by Tushit’s firm on behalf of the complainant’s company, the latter used to fill up the cheque for getting the amount.

After their business relationship got snapped in 2012, the complainant raised illegal demand to settle the account with the accused firm. The complainant himself had filled the details, including the account number, in the said cheque, and prior to that none of the cheques got dishonoured from the said cheque book. So, the suspect was not at fault, he argued.

After hearing the arguments, the court observed, “the suspect has fairly rebutted the case of the complainant and he has failed to prove on record the case against the suspect beyond all reasonable doubts. Hence, I hereby acquit Tushit Raj Singh.”