2025:HHC:31757 IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA Cr. Revision No.  : 144 of 2025 Decided on    : 15.09.2025 Sudarshna Kumari …Petitioner Versus PNB Lambloo & Anr. …Respondents The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Virender Singh, Judge. Whether approved for reporting?1 For the petitioner : Petitioner in person with Ms. Seema Azad, Advocate. For the respondents : Mr.   J.S.   Bagga,   Advocate,   for respondent No. 1. Sh. H.S. Rawat, Addl. A.G. with Mr. Rohit   Sharma,   Deputy   A.G.,   for respondent No. 2 Virender Singh, Judge (oral) Petitioner   –   Sudarshna   Kumari   has   filed   the present   Criminal   Revision   against   the   judgment   dated 31.12.2024,   passed   by   the   learned   Additional   Sessions Judge,   Hamirpur,   District   Hamirpur,   H.P.   (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Appellate Court’), in Criminal Appeal No. 84   of   2023,   titled   as   ‘Sudarshna   Kumari     Vs     Punjab National Bank Lambloo & Anr.’ 1 Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? Yes. 2 2025:HHC:31757 2. By   way   of   judgment   dated   31.12.2024,   the learned Appellate Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the petitioner against the judgment of conviction and order of   sentence   dated   08.06.2023,   passed   by   the   Court   of learned   Judicial   Magistrate   First   Class,   Court   No.   4 Hamirpur, District Hamirpur, H.P., (hereinafter referred to as the ‘trial Court’), in Criminal Comp. No. 156­I of 2022, titled as ‘Punjab National Bank Lambloo  Vs  M/s Rajpur Enterprises through its Prop. Sudarshna Kumari’. 3. Vide   judgment   of   conviction   and   order   of sentence   dated   08.06.2023,   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 her to undergo simple imprisonment, for a period of four months and to pay   a   fine/compensation   of   Rs.   94,000/­   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 3 2025:HHC:31757 has filed application bearing Cr.MP No. 2514 of 2025, for 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 learned Counsel for respondent No. 1, have been recorded, in which, they both have deposed that the dispute with regard to Cheque No. 393305, dated 04.11.2022, has been settled between the parties. 7. Today, the accused (petitioner) is present before this Court. She has deposed that she has been convicted and sentenced by the learned trial Court vide judgment of conviction and order of sentence dated 08.06.2023. 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 her appeal.   Now, she 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 her and the complainant.  She has also deposed that she has deposited a sum of Rs. 28,200/­, before the learned trial 4 2025:HHC:31757 Court and she has no objection, in case the said amount is released in favour of complainant bank. 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 she may kindly be acquitted of the charge. 11. Learned Counsel for respondent No. 1 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   08.06.2023.     He   also   deposed   that   the amount of compensation i.e. Rs. 28,200/­, deposited by the petitioner­accused, before the learned trial Court, be released in favour of respondent­bank. 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   remaining   amount   of compensation from the petitioner. 5 2025:HHC:31757 13. According to the respondent­complainant, the dispute   with   regard   to   Cheque   No.   393305   dated 04.11.2022, 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.2514 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   and order of sentence dated 08.06.2023, passed by learned trial Court in Comp. 138 N.I. Act No. 156­I of 2022, which has been   affirmed   by   learned   Appellate   Court,   in   Criminal Appeal No. 84 of 2023, vide judgment dated 31.12.2024, are   set   aside   and   the   petitioner   is   acquitted   from   the offence, punishable under Section 138 NI Act. Her personal and surety bonds are discharged. 16. However, this order shall be subject to deposit of 5% of the cheque amount, as compounding fee, within twelve weeks from today.  50% of the compounding fee be deposited   with   the   Member   Secretary,   H.P.   State   Legal 6 2025:HHC:31757 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 twelve weeks, then, the present petition shall be deemed to have been dismissed, by reviving the judgment of   conviction   and   order   of   sentence   dated   08.06.2023, passed by learned trial Court and in that eventuality, she shall surrender before the learned trial Court to undergo the   substantive   sentence,   imposed   upon   her,   by   the learned trial Court. 18. The amount deposited by the petitioner­accused before the learned trial Court, is ordered to be released in favour of the complainant bank. 19. Pending   miscellaneous   applications,   if   any, shall also stand disposed of. (Virender Singh) Judge 15th September, 2025 (Pramod Kumar)