THE STATE OF TAMIL NADU vs DR. VASANTHI VEERASEKARAN

The Supreme Court ruled that the provisions of Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, require the drawer of a cheque to be given a notice of dishonor before initiating proceedings. The Court emphasized that the notice must be served within 30 days of receiving information regarding the dishonor, and failure to do so results in the dismissal of the complaint. The judgment clarified the procedural requirements for filing a complaint under Section 138, reinforcing the necessity of adhering to statutory timelines.