2025:HHC:32589 IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA Cr. Revision No.  : 545 of 2025 Decided on    : 18.09.2025 Sanjeev Kumar …Petitioner Versus HP Gramin Bank Bithal …Respondent The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Virender Singh, Judge. Whether approved for reporting?1 For the petitioner : Petitioner in person with Ms. Anita Dogra, Advocate. For the respondent : Mr. K.B. Khajuria, Advocate. Virender Singh, Judge (oral) Petitioner – Sanjeev Kumar has filed the present Criminal Revision against the judgment dated 01.10.2024, passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, Kinnaur at   Rampur   Bushehar,   District   Shimla,   H.P.   (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Appellate Court’), in Criminal Appeal No. 37 of 2024, titled as ‘Sanjeev Kumar Vs Himachal Pradesh Gramin Bank Branch Office Bithal’. 2. By   way   of   judgment   dated   01.10.2024,   the learned Appellate Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the petitioner against the judgment of conviction and order 1 Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? Yes. 2 2025:HHC:32589 of   sentence   dated   20.02.2024,   passed   by   the   Court   of learned   Additional   Chief   Judicial   Magistrate,   Rampur Bushehar, District Shimla, H.P., (hereinafter referred to as the ‘trial Court’), in Criminal Comp. No. 371/2019, titled as ‘Himachal Pradesh Gramin Bank Branch Office Bithal Vs Sanjeev Kumar’. 3. Vide   judgment   of   conviction   and   order   of sentence   dated   20.02.2024,   the   learned   trial   Court   has convicted the petitioner, for the offence, punishable under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act (hereinafter referred to as the ‘NI Act’) and sentenced him to undergo simple imprisonment, for a period of one year and to pay a fine/compensation of Rs. 5,96,000/­ to the complainant. 4. After   dismissal   of   the   appeal   by   the   learned Appellate Court, the present Criminal Revision has been preferred. 5. During the pendency of the present petition, the parties have settled the matter.  Thereafter, the petitioner has filed application bearing Cr.MP No. 4166 of 2025, for permitting   the  parties  to   compound  the  offence,  on  the ground that the matter has been settled between them. 3 2025:HHC:32589 6. Statements   of   the   petitioner,   as   well   as,   the learned Counsel for the respondent, have been recorded, in which, they both have deposed that the dispute with regard to Cheque No. 010607, dated 22.08.2019, has been settled between the parties.   In this regard, the bank has also issued the certificate Ext. P­A. 7. Today, the accused (petitioner) is present before this Court. He has deposed that he has been convicted and sentenced   by   the   learned   trial   Court   vide   judgment   of conviction and order of sentence dated 20.02.2024. 8. Against   the   said   judgment   of   conviction   and order of sentence, the petitioner had filed the appeal before the   learned   Appellate   Court   and   the   learned   Appellate Court has dismissed his appeal.   Now, he is before this Court, by way of the present Criminal Revision. 9. In addition to this, the accused (petitioner) has also submitted that during the pendency of the Criminal Revision, the matter has been compromised between him and the complainant. 10. The  petitioner­accused  has  also deposed that on the basis of the said compromise, the present petition may kindly be allowed by setting aside the judgment of 4 2025:HHC:32589 conviction and order of sentence, referred to above, and he may kindly be acquitted of the charge. 11. Learned Counsel  for the respondent has also made   the   similar   statement.     He   has   deposed   that   the respondent­Bank, has no objection, in case, the present petition is allowed and the petitioner­accused is acquitted by setting aside the judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 20.02.2024. 12. On the basis of the above statements, one thing is   clear   that   the   matter   has   been   settled   between   the parties   and   in   pursuance   of   the   said   settlement, complainant   has   received   the   entire   amount   of compensation from the petitioner. 13. According to the respondent­complainant, the dispute   with   regard   to   Cheque   No.   010607   dated 22.08.2019, has been settled between the parties. 14. Since,   the   matter,   with   regard   to   cheque,   in question, has been settled between the parties, as such, the application, bearing Cr.MP No.4166 of 2025, is allowed and the parties are permitted to compound the offence. 15. Considering   the   fact   that   the   application   for compounding of the offence has been allowed, the present 5 2025:HHC:32589 petition   is   allowed   and   the   judgment   of   conviction   and order of sentence dated 20.02.2024, passed by learned trial Court in Comp. 138 N.I. Act No. 371/2019, which has been affirmed by learned Appellate Court, in Criminal Appeal No.   37/2024,   vide   judgment   dated   01.10.2024,   are   set aside   and   the   petitioner   is   acquitted   from   the   offence, punishable under Section 138 NI Act. His personal and surety bonds are discharged. 16. However, this order shall be subject to deposit of 8% of the cheque amount, as compounding fee, within ten weeks from today.   50% of the compounding fee be deposited   with   the   Member   Secretary,   H.P.   State   Legal Services Authority, Shimla, and remaining 50% with the Chief Justice Disaster Relief Fund. 17. It is further clarified that if the petitioner fails to deposit the compounding fee, as ordered by this Court, within   ten   weeks,   then,   the   present   petition   shall   be deemed to have been dismissed, by reviving the judgment of   conviction   and   order   of   sentence   dated   20.02.2024, passed by learned trial Court and in that eventuality, he shall surrender before the learned trial Court to undergo 6 2025:HHC:32589 the   substantive   sentence,   imposed   upon   him,   by   the learned trial Court. 18. Pending   miscellaneous   applications,   if   any, shall also stand disposed of. (Virender Singh) Judge 18th September, 2025 (Pramod Kumar)