Power of Appellate Court to order payment pending appeal against conviction
Full Text
Power of Appellate Court to order payment pending appeal against conviction.—(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), in an appeal by the drawer against conviction under section 138, the Appellate Court may order the appellant to deposit such sum which shall be a minimum of twenty per cent. of the fine or compensation awarded by the trial Court:
Provided that the amount payable under this sub-section shall be in addition to any interim compensation paid by the appellant under section 143A.
(2) The amount referred to in sub-section (1) shall be deposited within sixty days from the date of the order, or within such further period not exceeding thirty days as may be directed by the Court on sufficient cause being shown by the appellant.
(3) The Appellate Court may direct the release of the amount deposited by the appellant to the complainant at any time during the pendency of the appeal:
Provided that if the appellant is acquitted, the Court shall direct the complainant to repay to the appellant the amount so released, with interest at the bank rate as published by the Reserve Bank of India, prevalent at the beginning of the relevant financial year, within sixty days from the date of the order, or within such further period not exceeding thirty days as may be directed by the Court on sufficient cause being shown by the complainant.
Plain English Summary
Empowers the Appellate Sessions Court to direct a convicted drawer to deposit a minimum of 20% of the awarded fine or compensation pending appeal, which may be released to the complainant.
Key Legal Elements
- Applicable in appeal by drawer against conviction under Section 138
- Appellate court may order deposit of a MINIMUM of 20% of fine or compensation awarded
- Amount is in addition to any interim compensation paid under Section 143A
- Payable within 60 days, extendable by up to 30 days upon sufficient cause
- Court may release deposited amount to complainant pending appeal
- Complainant must refund with RBI bank rate interest within 60-90 days if appellant is acquitted
Punishment
Deposit of minimum 20% of fine/compensation awarded by trial court pending appeal
Practical Note
1. RETROSPECTIVE APPLICABILITY OF SECTION 148: • In Surinder Singh Deswal v. Virender Gandhi, (2019) 11 SCC 341, the Supreme Court held that unlike Section 143A, Section 148 is procedural and applies RETROSPECTIVELY to complaints filed prior to September 1, 2018, so long as the appeal was pending or filed thereafter. 2. SECTION 148 DEPOSIT IS NOT MECHANICAL (Jamboo Bhandari Ruling): • In Jamboo Bhandari v. M.P. State Industrial Development Corpn. Ltd., (2023) 10 SCC 446, the Supreme Court clarified that the word "may" in Section 148 confers judicial discretion. The appellate court is NOT bound to mechanically direct 20% deposit in every appeal. If the appellant demonstrates exceptional circumstances, patent illegality in conviction, or extreme financial distress, suspension of sentence under Section 389 CrPC can be granted without or with lesser deposit upon recording reasons. 3. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFAULT: • If the appellant fails to deposit the ordered 20% within 60+30 days, the stay/suspension on sentence under Section 389 CrPC is automatically vacated, enabling execution of Non-Bailable Warrants to commit the appellant to prison (Surinder Singh Deswal, (2020) 2 SCC 514).
हिंदी पाठ
दोषसिद्धि के विरुद्ध अपील लंबित रहने के दौरान संदाय का आदेश देने की अपीलीय न्यायालय की शक्ति।—(1) दंड प्रक्रिया संहिता, 1973 (1974 का 2) में किसी बात के होते हुए भी, धारा 138 के अधीन दोषसिद्धि के विरुद्ध आहर्ता द्वारा किसी अपील में, अपीलीय न्यायालय अपीलार्थी को ऐसी राशि जमा करने का आदेश दे सकेगा जो विचारण न्यायालय द्वारा अधिनिर्णीत जुर्माने या प्रतिकर के न्यूनतम बीस प्रतिशत (20%) होगी:
परंतु इस उपधारा के अधीन देय राशि धारा 143क के अधीन अपीलार्थी द्वारा संदत्त किसी अंतरिम प्रतिकर के अतिरिक्त होगी।
(2) उपधारा (1) में निर्दिष्ट राशि आदेश की तारीख से साठ (60) दिन के भीतर, अथवा अपीलार्थी द्वारा पर्याप्त कारण दिखाए जाने पर न्यायालय द्वारा निदेशित तीस (30) दिन से अनधिक की ऐसी अतिरिक्त कालावधि के भीतर जमा की जाएगी।
(3) अपीलीय न्यायालय अपील के लंबित रहने के दौरान किसी भी समय अपीलार्थी द्वारा जमा की गई राशि को परिवादी को जारी करने का निदेश दे सकेगा:
परंतु यदि अपीलार्थी दोषमुक्त हो जाता है, तो न्यायालय परिवादी को निदेश देगा कि वह आदेश की तारीख से साठ दिन के भीतर, अथवा परिवादी द्वारा पर्याप्त कारण दिखाए जाने पर न्यायालय द्वारा निदेशित तीस दिन से अनधिक की ऐसी अतिरिक्त कालावधि के भीतर, सुसंगत वित्तीय वर्ष के प्रारंभ में प्रचलित भारतीय रिज़र्व बैंक (RBI) द्वारा प्रकाशित बैंक दर पर ब्याज सहित इस प्रकार जारी की गई राशि अपीलार्थी को वापस करे।