Dear All,
I am Naveen Yadav working as Head-Hr in an engineering firm. 10 days ago I received a notice from a lawyer on behalf of someone unknown(whom the lawyer claims to be his client), claiming that his client has given me a sum of 3lakhs ruppees to start a business and that I had given him a cheque of the same amount as a sureity. Further it claims that the cheque is of Standard Chartered Bank, Noida.
From what I can remember is that one of my previous employersdid opened an employees salary account with Standard Chartered Bank in 2004, but it was never operational. I mean the bank people came and got the bank account opening forms signed by the employees, but after that there was no communication with them. We never received any account opening confirmation or atm cards or any cheque book for that matter.
Suddenly after 9 years I get this notice from somebody unknown. The address of the complainant is of a very distant village, which I heard for the first time. Under these circumstances am I liable to be tried unde the Negotiable Instruments Act. Please advise keeping in mind the the following points :
1. I don't know the persons who claims to have given me the money and I have never visited the place mentioned.
2. The notice says that the cheque bounced because the account was closed. I dont even know whether the said account exsists or not, or even if its on my name or not.
3. It claims to have given me the money for doing some business. I never had a business of my own. Also no specific date is mentioned in the notice as to when and where the money was given to me.
4. Even though if he has the so called cheque, it does not contain my signatures or my handwriting on it, coz I didn't give it to him.
5. I tried to contact the bank about the so called cheque and all they could tell me was that the account is closed. Nothing about... how and when or by whom?
Please advise can I be tried under the NI Act, if yes then on what basis. If no can I sue that person(the complainant).
Waiting for your valuable guidance...
Regards
Naveen