Negotiable Instruments Act: Delhi High Court appoints 5 retired judicial officers to hear cheque bounce cases

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday appointed five retired judicial officers as presiding officers of the Special Courts dealing with cheque bounce cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881..The retired judicial officers who have been appointed are:1. Rakesh Siddhartha: Presiding Officer, Special Court (NI Act), South, Saket2. CK Chaturvedi: Presiding Officer, Special Court (NI Act), South-East, Saket3. Satinder Kumar Gautam: Presiding Officer, Special Court (NI Act), South-West, Dwarka4. Chandra Bose: Presiding Officer, Special Court (NI Act), Central, THC5. Ram Bhagat Singh: Presiding Officer, Special Court (NI Act), New Delhi, RACC.An administrative order to that effect was issued by the High Court..The appointments were made in compliance with the directions issued by the Supreme Court in its order dated May 19, 2022.The top court by its order had directed the constitution of special courts in Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh for speedy disposal of the cheque bounce cases..The administrative order of the High Court said that the Presiding Officers of the Special Courts (NI Act) shall be under the control of the Principal District & Sessions Judge of the District to which they have been allocated.Further, it was directed that the concerned Principal District and Sessions Judge(s) shall withdraw cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 from existing courts and assign them to the aforesaid Special Courts. "The concerned Principal District and Sessions Judge(s) shall withdraw cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 from existing Courts and assign them to the aforesaid Special Courts (NI Act) in terms of the earlier directions issued by this. Court and the directions issued by Hon'ble Supreme Court vide order dated 19.05.2022 in Suo Motu Writ (Criminal) No.2 of 2020 in Re: "Expeditious Trial of Cases under Section 138 of NI Act, 1881," the High Court's order said..[Read Order]