DINESH GUPTA vs HT MEDIA LIMITED & ANR.

Judgment text excerpt

$~ * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Judgment delivered on: 12.08.2025 + CRL.M.C. 299/2025 DINESH GUPTA .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Sunil Choudhary and Mr. Praveen Singh, Advocates versus HT MEDIA LIMITED & ANR. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Amit Bajaj, Advocate + CRL.M.C. 303/2025 DINESH GUPTA .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Sunil Choudhary and Mr. Praveen Singh, Advocates versus HINDUSTAN MEDIA VENTURES LIMITED & ANR. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Amit Bajaj, Advocate CORAM: HON’BLE DR. JUSTICE SWARANA KANTA SHARMA JUDGMENT DR. SWARANA KANTA SHARMA, J 1. By way of these petitions, the petitioner is seeking quashing of Criminal Complaint Nos. 3653/2022 and 3654/2022, filed under Section 138/141 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 [hereafter CRL.M.C. 299/2025 & connected matter Page 1 of 10 Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed By:ZEENAT PRAVEEN Signing Date:13.08.2025 17:07:31 „NI Act‟], by the respondent no. 1, which are pending before learned JMFC-03, New Delhi, Patiala House Court, Delhi [hereafter „Magistrate‟], and for setting aside of summoning orders dated 02.05.2022, passed in the aforesaid cases, and the proceedings thereunder qua the petitioner herein. 2. Brief facts of the case, as borne out of the complaint i.e. CC No. 3653/2022, titled “HT Media Ltd. v. PG Advertising Pvt. Ltd.” are that the complainant HT Media Ltd. was engaged in the business of printing and publication of newspapers including Hindustan Times and Mint; creating, developing and maintaining online portals; broadcasting FM Radio in Delhi and Mumbai. It was alleged that accused no. 1 i.e. PG Advertising Pvt. Ltd. (accredited with INS - Indian Newspaper Society) had approached the complainant through its Directors/representatives and sought the services of the complainant for pu