1 2025:CGHC:42615 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR ACQA No. 270 of 2019 Dilip Goswami S/o Shri Ramchandra Goswami Aged About 42 Years R/o Hemu Nagar, Torwa, Bilaspur, Tahsil And District- Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh., District : Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh --- Appellant. versus Ranjan Prasad S/o Late Ramanand Prasad Aged About 40 Years R/o Near Shitla, Mandir, Gulab Nagar, Mopka, Bilaspur, Tahsil And District- Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh., District : Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh --- Respondent. ACQA No. 272 of 2019 Dilip Goswami S/o Shri Ramchand Goswami Aged About 42 Years R/o Hemu Nagar, Torwa, Bilaspur, Tahsil And District- Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh., District : Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh ---Appellant. Versus Niraj Prasad S/o Late Ramanand Prasad Aged About 36 Years R/o Near Shitla Mandir, Gulab Nagar, Mopka, Bilaspur, Tahsil And District- Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh., District : Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh --- Respondent. ACQA No. 276 of 2019 Dilip Goswami S/o Shri Ramchandra Goswami Aged About 42 Years R/o Hemu Nagar, Torwa, Bilaspur, Tahsil And District - Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh., District : Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh --- Appellant. Digitally signed by AJAY KUMAR DWIVEDI DN: cn=AJAY KUMAR DWIVEDI, ou=HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH, o=HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH, st=CHATTISGARH, c=IN Date: 2025.08.22 14:59:52 +0530 2 Versus Niraj Prasad S/o Late Ramanand Prasad Aged About 36 Years R/o Near Shitla Mandir, Gulab Nagar, Mopka, Bilaspur, Tahsil And District- Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh., District : Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh --- Respondent. For Appellants : Mr. S. K. Pandey, Adv on behalf of Mr. Dharmesh Shrivastava, Advocate. For Respondents : Mr. Vjay Kumar Sahu, Advocate. SB : Hon'ble Shri Justice Deepak Kumar Tiwari Judgment on Board 22.08.2025 1. ACQA No. 270 of 2019 - The appellant has filed this acquittal appeal against the judgment of acquittal dated 22.02.2019 passed by the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Bilaspur in Criminal Case No.821/2015, whereby, the respondent/accused has been acquitted of the charge under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (for short, “the NI Act”). 2. ACQA No. 272 of 2019- The appellant has filed this acquittal appeal against the judgment of acquittal dated 22.02.2019 passed by the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Bilaspur in Criminal Case No.823/2015, whereby, the respondent/accused has been acquitted of the charge under Section 138 of the NI Act. 3. ACQA No. 276 of 2019- The appellant has filed this acquittal appeal against the judgment of acquittal dated 22.02.2019 passed by the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Bilaspur in Criminal Case No.822/2015, whereby, the respondent/accused has been acquitted of the charge under Section 138 of NI Act. 4. At the outset, learned counsel for the appellants submits that recently in the judgment dated 08.04.2025 rendered by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the 3 matter of Celestium Financial vs. A. Gnanasekaran Etc., 2025 INSC 804, right to file appeal under proviso to Section 372 Cr.P.C. was discussed and it was held that the victim shall have a right to prefer an appeal against any order passed by the Court acquitting the accused and such appeal shall lie to the Court to which an appeal ordinarily lies against the order of conviction of such Court. He submits that the case may be disposed of reserving liberty so as to avail the said remedy. 5. Learned counsel for the respondents would not oppose the aforesaid submission. 6. In view of the aforesaid submission and considering the law declared in the matter of Celestium Financial (supra), these appeals are disposed of reserving liberty in favour of the appellant to file an appeal within a period of 45 days from the date of 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. 7. Registry shall return the certified copy of the order/judgment and relevant documents to counsel for the appellant after retaining its photocopy. 8. Registry shall send back the record to the concerned Court. 9. Accordingly, the appeals are disposed of. Sd/- (Deepak Kumar Tiwari) Judge Ajay