Rajni Gilani v. Baldev Alias Ballu
$~74 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + CRL.L.P. 307/2025, CRL.M.A. 15609-15611/2025 RAJNI GILANI .....Petitioner Through:
Mr. Kartik Gupta, Advocate.
versus BALDEV ALIAS BALLU .....Respondent Through:
None.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJEEV NARULA
O R D E R
% 28.07.2025 1.
The Appellant has filed the instant leave to appeal under Section 419(4) read with Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 20231 (formerly Sections 378(4) and 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure2, respectively) assailing the judgment of acquittal dated 10th February, 2025, passed by the Judicial Magistrate First Class, NI ACT-04, Central District, Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi in Complaint Case No. 512058/2016 pertaining to an offence under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 18813.
2.
The Supreme Court, recently, in Celestium Financial v. A. Gnanasekaran Etc.,4 has held that in cases involving an offence under Section 138 of the NI Act, the complainant qualifies as a "victim" as defined under Section 2(wa) of CrPC. Therefore, he may proceed under the proviso to Section 372 of CrPC and need not invoke Section 378(4) of CrPC. 3.
In light of the afore-noted judgment, counsel for the Appellant seeks 1 "BNSS"
2 "CrPC"
3 "NI Act"
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leave to withdraw the present petition, with liberty to file an appeal under the proviso to Section 372 of CrPC.
4.
Considering the above, the following directions are issued: 4.1.
Leave and liberty granted. The Appellant is permitted to file an appeal under the proviso to Section 372 of CrPC against the judgment of acquittal dated 10th February, 2025, in light of the decision of the Supreme Court in Celestium Financial.
4.2.
Although there has been a delay in filing the present petition, however, considering the fact that the legal position has been elucidated by the Supreme Court only recently, it is directed that the time period from the date of the initial filing of the present leave to appeal with the Registry of this Court, till the expiry of one week from today, shall be excluded for the purpose of computing the period of delay. The Appellant shall be at liberty to pursue the remedy as noted above and may file an application for condonation of delay, if any, which shall then be considered on its own merits and in accordance with law.
5.
In view of the above, the present appeal is disposed of along with the pending application.
6.
It is made clear that the Court has not commented on the merits of the case. All rights and contentions of the parties are left open. SANJEEV NARULA, J JULY 28, 2025 nk 4 2025 SCC OnLine SC 1320.
The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 31/07/2025 at 12:25:20