A Adinarayana Reddy Vs S. Vijayalakshmi (Karnataka High Court)
Summary: The Karnataka High Court considered whether a single complaint could be maintained for dishonour of multiple cheques issued by the accused on the same cause of action. The petition was filed by A Adinarayana Reddy under Section 482 of Cr.P.C., challenging the order dated 20.04.2023 passed by the XII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bangalore in PCR No.12765/2020, by which the complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act was dismissed as not maintainable.
The petitioner’s case was that respondent Nos.1 and 2 had issued five cheques towards discharge of liability and that all the cheques were dishonoured. The five cheques were: cheque No.060591 for Rs.10,00,000/- drawn on AXIS Bank Limited and returned on 24.06.2020 with the endorsement “Funds insufficient”; cheque No.447617 for Rs.10,00,000/- drawn on Canara Bank and returned on 03.07.2020 with the endorsement “Dormant”; cheque No.048993 for Rs.15,00,000/- drawn on Axis Bank Limited and returned on 08.07.2020 with the endorsement “Account closed”; cheque No.447618 for Rs.10,00,000/- drawn on Canara Bank and returned on 08.07.2020 with the endorsement “Account Dormant”; and cheque No.048992 for Rs.10,00,000/- drawn on Axis Bank Limited and returned on 08.07.2020 with the endorsement “Account closed”.
