2025:HHC:43727 IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA Cr. Revision No.  : 237 of 2025 Decided on    : 15.12.2025 Roshan Lal …Petitioner Versus Gaurav Karol …Respondent The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Virender Singh, Judge. Whether approved for reporting?1 For the petitioner : Petitioner   Roshan   Lal   in   person, with Mr. Rajesh Kashyap, Advocate. For the respondent : Mr. Varun Chauhan, Advocate. Virender Singh, Judge (oral) Petitioner – Roshan Lal has filed the present Criminal Revision against the judgment dated 04.04.2025, passed by the Court of learned Additional Sessions Judge­ I, Shimla, District Shimla, H.P. (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Appellate Court’), in Criminal Appeal No. 364/2024, titled as ‘Roshan Lal Vs Gaurav Karol’. 2. By   way   of   judgment   dated   04.04.2025,   the learned Appellate Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the petitioner against the judgment of conviction, dated 06.09.2024   and   order   of   sentence   dated   16.09.2024, 1 Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? Yes. 2 2025:HHC:43727 passed by the Court of learned Judicial Magistrate First Class,   Court   No.3   Shimla,   District   Shimla,   H.P., (hereinafter referred to as the ‘trial Court’), in Comp. under N.I. Act No. 600­3/2018/16(3), titled as ‘Gaurav Karol Vs Roshan Lal’. 3. Vide judgment of conviction, dated 06.09.2024 and   order   of   sentence,   dated   16.09.2024,   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. 2,41,000/­ to the complainant. In default of payment of fine/compensation,   convict   shall   undergo   simple imprisonment for a period of one month. 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. 5572 of 2025, for 3 2025:HHC:43727 permitting   the  parties  to   compound  the  offence,  on  the ground that the matter has been settled between them. 6. Statements   of   the   petitioner,   as   well   as,   Mr. Varun   Chauhan,   learned   Counsel   for   the   respondent­ complainant, have been recorded, in which, they both have deposed   that   the   dispute   with   regard   to   Cheque   No. 871961, dated 31.08.2015, has been settled between the parties. 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, dated 06.09.2024 and order of sentence, dated 16.09.2024. 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.   The settled amount has been paid 4 2025:HHC:43727 and now nothing is due against him regarding cheque No. 871961.  He has no objection, in case, the amount of Rs. 60,250/­, deposited by him before the learned trial Court, is   ordered   to   be   released   in   favour   of   the   respondent­ 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 conviction and order of sentence, referred to above, and he may kindly be acquitted from the offence punishable under Section 138 of N.I. Act. 11. Mr.   Varun   Chauhan,   learned   counsel   for   the respondent­complainant,   has   also   made   the   similar statement.   He has deposed that the respondent, has no objection, in case, the present petition is allowed and the petitioner­accused   is   acquitted   by   setting   aside   the judgment   of   conviction,   dated   06.09.2024   and   order   of sentence, dated 16.09.2024. He has also deposed that the amount   of   Rs.   60,250/­,   deposited   by   the   petitioner­ accused,   before   the   learned   trial   Court,   be   released   in favour   of   respondent­complainant.   Rest   of   the   settled amount, is stated to have already been received by the 5 2025:HHC:43727 complainant.  Now, nothing is due against him with regard to cheque No. 871961. 12. On the basis of the statements of the parties, one thing is clear that the matter has been settled between the   parties   and   in   pursuance   of   the   said   settlement, complainant   has   received   the   remaining   amount   of compensation from the petitioner. 13. According   to   the   learned   counsel   for   the respondent­complainant,   the   dispute   with   regard   to Cheque No. 871961 dated 31.08.2015, 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. 5572 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 petition is allowed and the judgment of conviction, dated 06.09.2024   and   order   of   sentence   dated   16.09.2024, passed by learned trial Court in Criminal Comp. No.600­ 3/2018/16(3),   which   has   been   affirmed   by   learned Appellate Court, in Criminal Appeal No. 364/2024, vide 6 2025:HHC:43727 judgment   dated   04.04.2025,   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 7.5% of the cheque amount, as compounding fee, within eight 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 H.P. High Court Staff Welfare Organization, Shimla. 17. It is further clarified that if the petitioner fails to deposit the compounding fee, as ordered by this Court, within   eight   weeks,   then,   the   present   petition   shall   be deemed to have been dismissed, by reviving the judgment of   conviction,   dated   06.09.2024   and   order   of   sentence, dated 16.09.2024, passed by learned trial Court and in that eventuality, he shall surrender before the learned trial Court to undergo the substantive sentence, imposed upon him, by the learned trial Court. 18. The amount of Rs. 60,250/­, deposited by the petitioner­accused before the learned trial Court, is ordered to be released in favour of the respondent­complainant. 7 2025:HHC:43727 19. Pending   miscellaneous   applications,   if   any, shall also stand disposed of. (Virender Singh) Judge 15th December, 2025 (Pramod Kumar)