Maha: Man gets 3 months in jail in cheque bounce case; told to pay double the amount

A court in Maharashtras Thane district has sentenced a businessman to rigorous imprisonment for three months in a cheque bounce case and directed him to pay Rs 4 lakh, which is double the amount. In July 2018, Gupte issued a cheque of Rs 2 lakh in the name of the Mansukh but the bank dishonoured it citing insufficient funds, the court was told.

A court in Maharashtra's Thane district has sentenced a businessman to rigorous imprisonment for three months in a cheque bounce case and directed him to pay Rs 4 lakh, which is double the amount. The order was passed by Thane Judicial First Class Magistrate Rajesh Patki on May 2, a copy of which was made available on Friday.

Advocates Baldev Rajput and Priyanka Dafle who represented complainant Abhimanyu Mansukh told the court that their client and the businessman Ratnakant Gupte, proprietor of Globe Overseas Services, were friends.

They said the complainant on July 20, 2011, had given a loan of Rs 2 lakh to the Gupte. In July 2018, Gupte issued a cheque of Rs 2 lakh in the name of the Mansukh but the bank dishonoured it citing "insufficient funds", the court was told. The complainant said he could not get back his money from Gupte despite attempts.

The court held Gupte guilty under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act and sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment for three months apart from directing him to pay double the cheque amount – Rs 4 lakh.