Case: Standard Chartered Bank Vs. State Of Maharashtra And Ors. Etc

M/s ABG Shipyard Ltd. is a company registered under the Companies Act, 1956. On being approached by the authorities of the company, a short term loan facility for a sum of L 200 crores was granted by the appellant-bank to the company on 28.04.2012. As averred in the complaint, the company executed an indemnity in favour of the appellant-bank and agreed to repay the amount in three instalments; one on 15.12.2012, the second on 15.01.2013 and the last on 15.02.2013. The company issued three cheques, one dated 15.12.2012 for Rs. 66,67,00,000/-, and the two others dated 15.01.2013 and 15.02.2013 for Rs. 66,67,00,000/- and Rs. 66,66,00,000/- respectively towards the repayment of the liability. As per the dates mentioned in the cheques, they were presented before the bank but due to "insufficient funds" and "account blocked" the cheques were dishonoured. The appellant-bank issued requisite statutory notice for each cheque. As no response was given by the respondents, the appellant filed three complaints, being C.C. No. 451/SS of 2013, C.C. No. 843/SS of 2013 and C.C. No. 1145/SS of 2013 under Section 138 of the Act before the Metropolitan Magistrate, 23rd Court at Esplanade, Mumbai who took cognizance and issued summons against all the accused persons.4. The respondent nos. 2 to 4 herein, being grieved by the orders issuing summons, preferred three revision petitions, that is, Revision Application Nos. 1123 to 1125 of 2014 before the City Civil & Sessions Court, Mumbai, and the revisional court after due deliberation did not perceive any merit in the said challenge and dismissed the revision petitions.5. The dismissal order constrained the respondents to prefer criminal writ petitions, bearing Criminal Writ Petition Nos. 1482 to 1484 of 2015, before the High Court of Judicature at Bombay and the learned single Judge by the order impugned allowed the writ petitions preferred by accused nos. 4 and 5 holding that the complainant had averred the said respondent to be responsible without making any specific assertion in the complaint about their role. As mentioned earlier, the High Court dismissed the writ petition preferred by the respondent no.4.6. On a perusal of the impugned order, it transpires that the learned Single Judge of the High Court has quashed the summons singularly on the ground that there are no allegations against the successful writ petitioners connecting them with the affairs of the

Court's reasoning:
12. On a perusal of the aforesaid provision, it is clear as crystal that if the person who commits an offence under Section 138 of the Act is a company, the company as well as other person in charge of or responsible to the company for the conduct of the business of the company at the time of commission of the offence is deemed to be guilty of the offence. Thus, it creates a constructive liability on the persons responsible for the conduct of the business of the company.23. In the said case, taking note of the assertions in the complaint which were really vague, the Court declined to interfere with the order passed by the High Court which had opined that the complainant did not disclose commission of offence against the accused persons.We have referred to the aforesaid decision in extenso, as we are of the convinced opinion that the analysis made therein would squarely apply to the case at hand and it shall be clear when we reproduce certain passages from the complaint.We have referred to these decisions as they explicitly state the development of law and also lay down the duty of the High Court while exercising the power of quashing regard being had to the averments made in the complaint petition to attract the vicarious liability of the persons responsible under Section 141 of the Act.Thus, considering the totality of assertions made in the complaint and also taking note of the averments put forth relating to the respondent Nos. 2 and 3 herein that they are whole-time Director and Executive Director and they were in charge of day to day affairs of the Company, we are of the considered opinion that the High Court has fallen into grave error by coming to the conclusion that there are no specific averments in the complaint for issuance of summons against the said accused persons. We unhesitatingly hold so as the asseverations made in the complaint meet the test laid down in Gunmala Sales Pvt. Ltd. (supra).