Paonam Premchand Mangang vs Potsangbam Nilakanta Singh on 25 February, 2026

Manipur High Court

Paonam Premchand Mangang vs Potsangbam Nilakanta Singh on 25 February, 2026

Author: A. Guneshwar Sharma

Bench: A. Guneshwar Sharma

                                                                    Item Nos. 19-20

                   IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR
                             AT IMPHAL

                        CRIL.PETN. No. 18 of 2026

      Paonam Premchand Mangang.
                                                           ...Petitioner
                                   - Versus -
      Potsangbam Nilakanta Singh.
                                                          ...Respondent
                                  With
                      MC(Cril.Petn.) No. 15 of 2026

                         B EF O R E
          HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE A. GUNESHWAR SHARMA

                                 ORDER

25-02-2026

[1] Heard Mr. A. Golly, learned counsel for the petitioner.

[2] The petitioner is aggrieved by the order dated 16-03-2023 passed

by the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West in Cril. Misc. Case No.

294 of 2022 (Ref. Cril. (N.I.) Case No. 62 of 2021) whereby the petitioner

was directed to pay interim compensation to the respondent under the

provision of Section 143A of Negotiable Instruments Act and the order dated

04-11-2025 passed by the learned Addl. Sessions Judge (FTC), Manipur

East in Criminal Revision Case No. 4 of 2023 whereby the revision filed by

the petitioner against the order of the learned CJM, Imphal West was

dismissed upholding the impugned order dated 16-03-2023 with a direction

to deposit the interim compensation of 20% of the cheque amount before

the learned Trial Court within 90 days. Thereafter, the learned CJM, Imphal

West, vide order dated 06-02-2026, imposed a cost of Rs. 10,000/- upon the

petitioner for not depositing the interim compensation.
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 [3]       Issue notice to the sole respondent.

[4]       Petitioner is directed to take steps to the respondent by speed post

within one week and file an affidavit of proof of service.

[5] Mr. A. Golly, learned counsel for the petitioner, submits that the

petitioner who is the accused in the court below has a good case on merit

and he has already reported to the Officer-in-charge of Lamphel Police

Station on 26-08-2021 about the loss of some official documents, signed

non-judicial stamps and some signed cheques of different bank accounts

belonging to the petitioner from his office. Thereafter, the respondent used

one of the signed cheque leaves which was alleged to be missing from his

official desk on 15-09-2021 and deposited the same with his bank and the

same was dishonored. Upon this, the respondent filed a complaint case

against the petitioner under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act,

1881. It is also submitted that the account under which the cheque leaf was

submitted is the personal account of the petitioner and as per the status

given by the Deputy Branch Manager, ICICI Bank Limited, Lamphelpat, the

account is dormant from 01-12-2018 till 28-09-2021. It is submitted that the

petitioner has a good prima facie case on merit for rebuttal presumption

under Section 139 of NIA. Due to personal difficulty of the petitioner at that

time, he could not file any reply to the Cril. Misc. Case No. 294 of 2022 filed

by the respondent and this fact was not considered by the learned CJM and

learned Addl. Sessions Judge (FTC), Manipur East. It is submitted that the

impugned orders may be stayed till the next date and the petitioner may be

permitted to contest the case on merit. Mr. A. Golly, learned counsel for the

petitioner, submits that he has already submitted Rs. 10,000/- cost imposed

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by the learned CJM, Imphal West and prays that the direction for depositing

interim compensation of 20% of the cheque amount before the trial court be

stayed till the next date.

[6] This Court has perused the material on record and found

substance in the submission of the learned counsel for the petitioner.

Accordingly, the direction for interim compensation payment of 20% of the

cheque amount before the trial court by the petitioner is stayed till the next

date. However, it is clarified that there is no stay of the proceeding of the

complaint case before the learned CJM, Imphal West.

[7]          List these cases on 26-03-2026.

[8]          Send a copy of this order to the learned CJM, Imphal West for

information.




                                                      JUDGE

Victoria



NINGOM Digitally  signed
         by NINGOMBAM
BAM      VICTORIA
         Date: 2026.02.26
VICTORIA 13:56:28 +05'30'




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