Msr Leathers vs S. Palaniappan And Anr

The Supreme Court held that under Section 138 and Section 142 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, a payee can initiate prosecution for dishonour of a cheque only once, as the cause of action arises solely from the failure to pay after a notice is served. The Court clarified that accepting successive causes of action would render the limitation period under Section 142(b) meaningless. Consequently, the Court ruled that the complaint based on a second presentation of the cheque was not maintainable, affirming the lower court's dismissal of the complaint.