Extracted from the PDF above. The PDF is authoritative.
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2025:CGHC:45335
NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR CRMP No. 902 of 2025 1 - Gopal Prasad Jaltare S/o Motiram Jaltare Aged About 41 Years R/o Jamnipali, Tahsil- Katghora, District- Korba (C.G.) (Complainant)
... Petitioner versus 1 - Raj Singh Vishwakarma S/o Hondro Ram Vishwakarma Aged About 36 Years R/o Village- Matasi, Post- Narayanpur, District- Jashpur (C.G.) (Accused)
... Respondent For Petitioner : Mr. Aditya Khare, Adv. For Respondent : None.
Hon'ble
Shri
Justice
Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal
Judgment on Board 04/09/2025
1. This application U/s 419(4) of the BNSS has been filed against the judgment dated 08.01.2025 passed by the learned Judicial Magistrate First Class, Korba, District- Korba (C.G.) in Complaint Case No. 3535/2018 whereby the respondent/accused has been acquitted for the commission of the offence under Section 138 of the N.I. Act.
2. At the outset, learned counsel for the petitioner submits that recently the Supreme Court has delivered a judgment in the Digitally signed by HEERA LAL SAHU Date: 2025.09.06 10:58:35 +0530
2 matter of M/s. Celestium Financial Vs. A. Gnanasekaran Etc. reported in 2025 INSC 804 holding that the complainant in a complaint filed under section 138 of the Act of 1881 is also a victim as defined in section 2(wa) of Cr.P.C. corresponding to Section 2(y) of Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (for short the “BNSS”). He submits that the Supreme Court has further held that the complainant in a complaint under section 138 of the Act of 1881 can also be entitled to file an appeal under proviso to section 372 Cr.P.C. corresponding to Section 413 of the BNSS. Learned counsel submits that the case may be
disposed of reserving liberty so as to avail the said remedy.
3. In view of the aforesaid submission and considering the law declared in the matter of Celestium Financial (supra), this petition stands disposed of reserving liberty in favour of the petitioner to file an appeal within a period of 60 days from this order before the appropriate Court, in accordance with law. It is further made clear that if such an appeal is filed before the concerned Court within the time given by this Court, it would not insist upon the limitation while deciding the same and will proceed to decide the same in accordance with law.
4. Registry shall return the certified copy of the impugned
judgment/order and relevant documents to counsel for the petitioner after retaining the photocopy of the same.
5. Registry shall send back the record to the concerned Court.
Sd/- (Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal) Judge H.L. Sahu