DISHONOUR OF CHEQUE - COMPLAINT BY POWER OF

ATTORNEY HOLDER:
Section 138 - Dishonour of cheque - Complaint by power of attorney holder - Landlord
authorised his General Power of Attorney holder to collect rent and file civil and Revenue
suits in case of dispute - Held, attorney can file criminal complaint too - Mere fact that
word 'Criminal Court" has not been expressly mentioned would not preclude the Attorney
from filing criminal complaint under Section 138 of the Act. (Surinder Singh Vs John
Impex (Pvt.)Ltd.) 1997(1) CIVIL COURT CASES 81 (P&H) : 1996 (3) RCR (CRL.)
0622 : 1997 (1) BANKING CASES 0247

Section 138 - Dishonour of cheque - Complaint can be filed by duly authorised

agent of payee - There is no requirement that complaint should be filed personally by
payee or holder in due course. (Surinder Singh Vs John Impex (Pvt.) Ltd. ) 1997(1)
CIVIL COURT CASES 81 (P&H) : 1996 (3) RCR (CRL.) 0622 : 1997 (1) BANKING
CASES 0247

Section 138 - Dishonour of cheque - Power of attorney holder - Can file a

complaint. (Ranjit Ray & Anr. Vs Pukaraj Jain) 1996(2) CIVIL COURT CASES 572
(Orissa) : 1997 (2) ALL INDIA CRIMINAL LR (ORISSA) 0570 : 1998 (2) CIVIL LJ
0080 : 1997 (1) CRIMES 0110 : 1997 (1) CCR 0475 : 1996 (2) OCR 0360 : 1996 CULT
0528 : 1996 (2) OLR 0412

Section 138 - Dishonour of cheque - Power of attorney holder can file a complaint
on behalf of the payee. (Abdul Rahim Vs Amal Kumar) 1994(2) CIVIL COURT CASES
60 (Cal.) : 1994 ISJ (BANKING) 0368

Section 138, 142 - A power of attorney holder of a payee or a holder in due course
can make a complaint u/s 142 of the Act. (Hamsa Vs Ibrahim) 1994(1) CIVIL COURT
CASES 248 (Ker.) : 1993 ISJ (BANKING) 0722 : 1994 (1) BANKING CASES 0314 :
1994 (1) BCLR 0159 : 1997 (88) COMP. CASES 0800 : 1994 (1) CRIMES 0395 : ILR
1994 (1) KERALA 0622

Section 138, 142 - Cheque endorsed in favour of a third party - Cheque

dishonoured - Complaint filed by original payee - Complaint is not maintainable as the
payee as lost every right over the cheque by endorsing the same in favour of third party.
(H.L.Aggarwal Vs Rakesh Aggarwal) 1998(1) CIVIL COURT CASES 487 (A.P.) : 1998
ISJ (BANKING) 0079 : 1998 (1) BANKING CASES 0045 : 1997 (89) COMP. CASES
0531 : 1997 (1) ALT (CRL.) 0678

Section 138, 142 - Dishonour of cheque - Power of attorney - Payee authorising

her husband through a letter to file complaint on her behalf - Authority letter did not state
that payee would be bound by the acts of her husband - Held, authority letter could not be
equated with General or Special Power of Attorney - Complaint not property instituted,
hence quashed. (Meeta Rai Vs Gulshan Mahajan) 1999(2) CIVIL COURT CASES 553
(P&H) : 1999 ISJ (BANKING) 0455 : 1999 (1) ALL INDIA CRIMINAL LR (P&H)
0609 : 1999 (2) RCR (CRL.) 0383 : 1999 (1) CHANDIGARH CRL. CASES 0462

Section 138, 141 - Dishonour of cheque - Complaint by power of attorney holder -

It is permissible. (Manimekalai Vs Chapaldas) 1995(2) CIVIL COURT CASES 292
(Madras) : 1995 (2) RCR (CRL.) 0183 : 1995 (2) BCLR 0600 : 1995 CRL. L.J. 1102

PERSONAL ATTENDANCE OF ACCUSED

Section 138, Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, Section 205 & 317 - Dispensing with
personal attendance of accused - Where warrant of arrest has been issued against accused,
Section 205 Cr.P.C. does not apply and his personal appearance cannot be exempted - In
the instant case, warrant of arrest issued by CJM converted into bailable warrant by High
Court - Further direction issued that if accused appears and submits bail bond before
CJM, he shall be granted exemption u/s 317 and his appearance shall not be insisted upon
during trial. (Ajay Lunia Vs State of Rajasthan & Anr.) 1999(1) CIVIL COURT CASES
449 (Raj.) : 1999 (4) ALL INDIA CRIMINAL LR (RAJASTHAN) 0577