1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AT SHIMLA Cr. Revision No. 264 of 2025 Decided on : 21.5.2025 Mani Ram …Petitioner Versus Pawan Kumar & anr. …Respondents ___________________________________________ Coram Hon’ble Mr. Justice Virender Singh, Judge Whether approved for reporting? ________________________________________________ For the Petitioner : Petitioner in person with Mr. Ajinder Mehta, Advocate. For the Respondents : Respondent No. 1 in person with Mr. Sumeet Raj Sharma, Advocate. Mr. Tejasvi Sharma, Addl. A.G., for respondent No. 2. Virender Singh, Judge (oral) Cr. M.P. (M) No. 605 of 2024 For the reasons stated in the application, delay in filing the present Revision Petition, is ordered to be condoned. The application is, thus, disposed of. 2 Cr. Revision No. 264 of 2025 2. Petitioner Mani Ram has filed the present petition, against the judgment dated 1.12.2023, passed by the Court of learned Sessions Judge, Mandi, Division Mandi, H.P. (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Appellate Court’), in Criminal Appeal No. 61 of 2023, titled as, ‘Mani Ram versus Pawan Kumar & anr.’. 3. By way of judgment dated 1.12.2023, learned Appellate Court has dismissed the aforesaid appeal. 4. The said appeal was preferred against the judgment of conviction, dated 26.7.2023 and order of sentence, dated 27.7.2023, passed by the Court of learned Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Court No. 2, Mandi, District Mandi, H.P. (hereinafter referred to as ‘the trial Court’), in case No. 13 of 2017, titled as, ‘Pawan Kumar versus Mani Ram’. 5. By way of judgment of conviction and order of sentence, as referred to above, the learned trial Court has convicted the petitioner (hereinafter referred to as ‘the accused’) for the commission of offence, 3 punishable under Section 138 of Negotiable Instrument Act, (hereinafter referred to as ‘the N.I. Act’) and sentenced him to undergo simple imprisonment, for a period of six months and to pay a compensation of Rs. 3,00,000/- to the complainant. 6. During the pendency of the revision petition, before this Court, as per the stand taken by the parties, the matter has been compromised between the parties. This fact is demonstrated from Cr. M.P. No. 1 of 2025, which has been moved by learned counsel for the petitioner, before this Court, in which, he has prayed that permission to compound the offence may kindly be accorded. 7. The petitioner has made statement, on oath, that the matter has been settled with the respondent, with regard to cheque No. 000015, dated 12.11.2016, for a sum of Rs. 1,75,000/-, and now nothing is due against him. 8. The respondent/complainant has made statement, on oath, acknowledging the factual 4 position, as asserted by the petitioner, in his statement. Lastly, he has stated that he has no objection, in case, the present petition is allowed. 9. Keeping in view the fact that the parties to the lis have compromised the matter,Cr. M.P. No. 1 of 2025 is allowed and the petitioner is permitted to compound the offence. 10. In view of above, the present petition is allowed, by setting aside the impugned judgment of conviction and order of sentence, referred to above, passed by the learned trial Court, and affirmed by the learned Appellate Court, and accused is acquitted from the offence, punishable under Section 138 of the N.I. Act, subject to payment of 8% of the cheque amount, as compounding fee. 50% of the compounding fee shall be deposited by the accused with the Member Secretary, H.P. State Legal Services Authority, Shimla, and remaining 50% of the amount shall be deposited by him with the H.P. High Court Staff Welfare Organization, Shimla, within eight weeks, from today. 5 11. It is further clarified that in case of failure to deposit the compounding fee, within the prescribed period, the revision petition shall be deemed to have been dismissed and judgment of conviction and order of sentence, shall revive automatically, and the petitioner (accused) shall surrender before the learned trial Court to serve out the substantive sentence, imposed by the learned trial Court. 12. The bail bonds furnished by the accused are ordered to be discharged. The pending application(s), if any, are also disposed of. (Virender Singh) Judge May 21, 2025 (Kalpana)