Archive · 13 Jan 2026
SC Allows Separate Cases for Bounced Cheques from Single Deal
The Supreme Court of India recently ruled that if multiple cheques bounce in a single deal, each bounced cheque can lead to a separate legal case.
This decision came from a case where a man named Sumit Bansal bought commercial units but didn't get the sale deeds registered on time.
The developer gave him cheques to refund the money, but these cheques bounced multiple times.
The court said that each bounced cheque is a separate issue and can be treated as such in court.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court had said that all these cheques were part of one deal and should not lead to multiple cases.
But the Supreme Court disagreed and said that each cheque bounce is a separate offence.
This ruling is important because it clarifies that even if cheques are part of one deal, each bounce can be dealt with separately in court.
The Supreme Court ruled that multiple complaints can be filed for each dishonoured cheque from a single transaction.
The case involved a failed commercial property deal where the developer issued multiple cheques that bounced.
The Delhi High Court had earlier quashed the complaints, stating they were part of a single cause of action.
The Supreme Court reversed this decision, stating each cheque bounce constitutes a separate offence under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.
The court emphasized that the burden of proof lies on the accused to rebut the presumption that the cheque was issued for a debt or liability.
- Who
- Supreme Court of India (Justices Sanjay Karol and Prashant Kumar Mishra)
- What
- Allowed separate criminal cases for each bounced cheque from a single transaction
- When
- Decision made last week (specific date not mentioned)
- Where
- India (Supreme Court)
- Why
- To uphold the principle that each dishonoured cheque constitutes a separate cause of action under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act
- Court
- Supreme Court of India
- Judges
- Justices Sanjay Karol and Prashant Kumar Mishra
- Legal Provision
- Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act
- Case Origin
- Failed commercial property deal in Ghaziabad
- Amount Involved
- Rs 1.72 crore
- Number of Cheques
- Multiple cheques issued
- High Court Decision
- Quashed complaint cases in April 2025
- Supreme Court Decision
- Reversed High Court decision, allowed separate cases