Anantnag, July 29: The Court of District Mobile Magistrate (T) Anantnag has convicted a local man in a long-pending cheque bounce case involving Rs 31.63 lakh.

Pronouncing the judgment on July 27, in Case No. 2031/19, Magistrate Anurag Khajuria held Shahzad Ahmad Bhat, son of Ghulam Rasool Bhat, resident of Wapzan Bijbehara, guilty of an offence punishable under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.
The complaint was filed by Mushtaq Ahmad Tak, son of Ahmadullah Tak, resident of New Colony Bijbehara, through Advocates Mohd. Iqbal Jan and Nazakat Hussain Tak.
As per the complaint, the accused owed Rs 31,63,745 to the complainant as payment for cardboard boxes sold and supplied by him. To discharge the debt, Bhat issued three cheques bearing No. 005146 dated 11/03/2017 and two others. The cheques, however, were dishonored on presentation.
During the trial, witnesses including Danish Ahmad Vaid, who runs Zenith Card Board Industry in Bijbehara Industrial Estate, deposed that the complainant was a client who purchased cardboard boxes and distributed them, while the accused was one of the complainant’s customers.
Evidence regarding supply of goods and pending dues was also recorded before the court.
The case was instituted on 12.04.2017 and was pending since 04.02.2019.
Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act deals with dishonor of cheques for insufficiency of funds. Conviction can lead to imprisonment of up to 2 years, or fine up to twice the cheque amount, or both. The detailed order with sentencing is expected to follow.