In a complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 pending before the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Raipur, Sandeep Agrawal, Advocate, moved an application on behalf of the complainant under Section 143A seeking interim compensation.
By order dated 07.09.2026, the court allowed the application and directed the accused to pay 20% of the cheque amount (₹40,000 on a cheque of ₹2,00,000) to the complainant as interim compensation within 60 days. The court noted that the power under Section 143A is discretionary, referring to the Supreme Court’s decision in Rakesh Ranjan Shrivastava v. State of Jharkhand (2024 INSC 205), and recorded that its findings are prima facie and will not affect the final decision of the case.
Why it matters
Section 143A allows the trial court to direct the drawer of a dishonoured cheque to pay interim compensation of up to 20% of the cheque amount during the pendency of the complaint. It gives complainants some relief while the trial continues.