In Brief
The appellant was convicted under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1981 (cheque dishonour) by the High Court, which reversed the trial court's acquittal. The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's decision, finding that the trial court had erroneously failed to apply the statutory presumption in favour of the complainant and had improperly imposed a heavy burden of proof on the complainant to establish the underlying debt. The Court affirmed the conviction and the ordered deposit of Rs. 1,20,000, with imprisonment as an alternative if the amount remained unpaid.
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