2025:HHC:32824 IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA Criminal Revision No. : 36 of 2025 Decided on : 19 th   September, 2025 Hem Singh …Petitioner Versus The C.D. Co­operative Credit Society Ltd.        …Respondent Coram The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Virender Singh, Judge. Whether approved for reporting?1 For the petitioner : Petitioner person with Mr. Devender K. Sharma, Advocate. For the respondent: Branch Manager of the respondent in   person   with   Mr. Ram   Kumar, Advocate. Virender Singh, Judge (oral) Petitioner – Hem  Singh has filed the present revision petition against the judgment dated 04.12.2024, passed   by   the   learned   Sessions   Judge,   Mandi,   District Mandi,   H.P.     (hereinafter   referred   to   as   the   ‘Appellate Court’), in Criminal Appeal No.95 of 2024, titled as Hem Singh versus CD Co­operative Society. 2. By   way   of   judgment   dated   04.12.2024,   the learned Appellate Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the petitioner against the judgment of conviction, dated 1 Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? Yes. 2 2025:HHC:32824 28.06.2024   and   order   of   sentence   dated   01.07.2024, 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.893 of 2019, titled as The CD Co­operative Credit Society Ltd. Versus Hem Singh. 3. Vide judgment of conviction, dated 28.06.2024 and   order   of   sentence   dated   01.07.2024,   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   six   months   and   to   pay   a   compensation   of Rs.6,94,500/­ to the complainant. 4. After   dismissal   of   the   appeal   by   the   learned Appellate   Court,   the   present   revision   petition   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.4218 of 2025, for 3 2025:HHC:32824 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,   the Branch   Manager   of   the   respondent­Society,   have   been recorded,   in   which,   they   both   have   deposed   that   the dispute   with   regard   to   Cheque   No.839598,   dated 01.08.2019, 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 28.06.2024 and order of sentence dated 01.07.2024. 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 also dismissed his appeal.  Now, he is before this Court, in the present revision petition. 9. In addition to this, the accused (petitioner) has also submitted that during the pendency of the revision petition, the matter has been compromised between him and the complainant.   He has also deposed that he has 4 2025:HHC:32824 deposited a sum of Rs.4,28,250/­, before the learned trial Court and he has no objection, in case the said amount is released   in   favour   of   the   complainant.     He   has   also deposed that the remaining settled amount has been paid to the complainant­Society. 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 of the charge. 11. Branch   Manager   of   the   respondent­Society   is also present, in the Court and he has made  the similar statement.   He has deposed that respondent­Society, has no objection, in case, the present petition is allowed and the   petitioner­accused   is   acquitted   by   setting   aside   the judgment   of   conviction,   dated   28.06.2024   and   order   of sentence dated 01.07.2024. 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, 5 2025:HHC:32824 complainant   has   received   the   remaining   settled   amount from the petitioner. 13. According to the respondent­complainant, the dispute   with   regard   to   Cheque   No.839598   dated 01.08.2019, 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.4218 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 28.06.2024   and   order   of   sentence   dated   01.07.2024, passed   by   learned   trial   Court   in   Case   No.893   of   2019, which has been affirmed by learned Appellate Court, in Criminal   Appeal   No.95/2024,   vide   judgment   dated 04.12.2024, 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. The accused (petitioner) has stated that he is suffering   from   heart   ailment   and   has   a   big   family   to 6 2025:HHC:32824 support, as such, some leniency  may  kindly  be shown, while assessing the compounding fee. 17. Considering the  said  fact, this  Court is of the view that the ends of justice would meet, if the petitioner is directed   to   deposit   8%   of   the   cheque   amount,   as compounding fee, within eight weeks from today.  Ordered accordingly.   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, 2025’. 18. 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   28.06.2024   and   order   of   sentence dated 01.07.2024, 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. 7 2025:HHC:32824 18. The amount deposited by the petitioner­accused before the learned trial Court, is ordered to be released in favour of the complainant. 19. Pending   miscellaneous   applications,   if   any, shall also stand disposed of. ( Virender Singh ) September 19, 2025 (ps) Judge