DEAR MR. QUERIST
YOU HAVE JUST PUT IN ONE SENTENCE THAT YOU NEED THE SAME HELP. YOU HAVE NOT STATED WHAT TYPE OF PROBLEM YOU ARE FACING AND WHERE YOU ARE WRITING THIS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR PROBLEM . KINDLY PUT A BRIEF SO THAT OTHER FORUM MEMBERS WILL ALSO GIVE YOU THEIR ADVICE . IF ANYBODY OF THEM IS FROM YOUR PLACE , THEY WILL BE IN A POSITION TO HELP YOU DIRECTLY. BUT BOTH OF YOU , PLEASE DON'T CLOSE YOUR ACCOUNT IN WHICH YOU HAVE ISSUED THE CHEQUE OR GIVE "STOP PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS " FOR THE CHEQUE . YOU KEEP AN AMOUNT BELOW WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR ONE CHEQUE . SECTION 138 OF NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS ACT ,1881 ( 26 OF 1881 ) SAYS : - WHERE ANY CHEQUE DRAWN BY A PERSON ON ANY ACCOUNT MAINTAINED BY HIM WITH A BANKER FOR PAYMENT OF ANY AMOUNT TO ANOTHER PERSON FROM OUT OF THE ACCOUNT FOR THE DISCHARGE , IN WHOLE OR IN PART , OF ANY DEBT OR OTHER LIABILITY,IS RETURNED BY THE BANK UNPAID, EITHER BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY STANDING TO THE CREDIT OF THAT ACCOUNT IS INSUFFICIENT TO HONOR THE CHEQUE OR THAT IT EXCEEDS THE AMOUNT ARRANGED TO BE PAID FROM THAT ACCOUNT BY AN AGREEMENT MADE WITH THAT BANK, SUCH PERSON SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE COMMITTED AN OFFENCE AND SHALL , WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS ACT , BE PUNISHED WITH IMPRISONMENT OR WITH FINE WHICH MAY EXTEND TO TWICE THE AMOUNT OF THE CHEQUE ,OR WITH BOTH :PROVIDED THAT NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY UNLESS -
(a) THE CHEQUE HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO THE BANK WITHIN A PERIOD OF SIX ( NOW THREE ) MONTHS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH IT IS DRAWN OR WITHIN THE PERIOD OF ITS VALIDITY, WHICHEVER IS EARLIER;
(b) THE PAYEE OR THE HOLDER IN DUE COURSE OF THE CHEQUE, AS THE CASE MAY BE , MAKES A DEMAND FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE SAID AMOUNT OF MONEY BY GIVING A NOTICE IN WRITING, " TO THE DRAWER OF THE CHEQUE " OF THE RECEIPT OF INFORMATION BY HIM FROM THE BANK REGARDING THE RETURN OF THE CHEQUE AS UNPAID ; AND
(c) " THE DRAWER OF SUCH CHEQUE " FAILS TO MAKE PAYMENT OF THE SAID AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE PAYEE OR AS THE CASE MAY BE , TO THE HOLDER IN DUE COURSE OF THE CHEQUE WITHIN FIFTEEN DAYS OF THE RECEIPT OF THE SAID NOTICE .
EXPLANATION -- FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION , " DEBT OR OTHER LIABILITY MEANS " A LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE OR OTHER LIABILITY " . I WILL EXPLAIN THE DETAILS IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH BASED ON THE JUDGEMENTS , BUT I WILL NOT QUOTE THE JUDGEMENTS NOW AS I HAVE TO SEARCH THOSE FROM MY OLD RECORDS. EVERYTHING IS IN MEMORY. ACTUALLY THIS ONE SECTION IS NOT ENOUGH FOR CONVICTION . BUT FOR YOU THIS SECTION IS ENOUGH .FOR OTHERS WE MAY GO UP TO SECTION 146 OF THE SAID ACT .- JOSEPH WILFRED - 29/10/2013 AT 19:45 HRS