M/S Meters And Instruments Private ... vs Kanchan Mehta

The Supreme Court addressed the issue of compounding offences under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, holding that consent from the complainant is necessary for compounding, as established in JIK Industries Ltd. v. Amarlal Jumani (2012) 3 SCC 255. The Court emphasized that the legislative intent behind Section 138 is to enhance the acceptability of cheques and facilitate business transactions. The appeals were dismissed as the High Court's refusal to allow compounding was upheld, reinforcing the requirement of complainant consent for such proceedings.