Vyapar, loan repayment, property purchase, ya personal transactions me cheque ka upyog aam baat hai. Parantu jab kisi kaaran se bank dwara cheque reject hokar dishonour ho jata hai — jise aam bhasha me **Cheque Bounce** kaha jata hai — to yah na kewal dono paksho ke liye maansik pareshani ka sabab banta hai, balki yah **Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 ke Section 138** ke tehat ek dandaney apradh (criminal offense) bhi ban sakta hai.

Cheque bounce hone par bank penalty charges kaatta hai, CIBIL score buri tarah girta hai, aur payee dwara kanooni notice milne par 2 saal tak ki jail aur cheque rashi ka dugna jurmana ho sakta hai. Is article me janein cheque bounce ke kanooni niyam aur bank-wise penalty charges.

1. Cheque Bounce Ke Mukhya Kaaran Aur Cheque Return Reason Codes

Jab cheque bounce hota hai to bank uske sath ek **Cheque Return Memo** bhejta hai jisme rejection ka code aur kaaran likha hota hai:

Reason Code Cheque Rejection Reason Kanooni Prabhav (Section 138 Applicable?)
Code 01 / 02 Funds Insufficient / Exceeds Arrangement (Khate me paise kam hona) HAAN - Criminal Offense under Section 138
Code 03 Signature Differs / Mismatch (Hastakshar match na hona) Section 138 applicable if willful; otherwise technical bounce
Code 04 Stop Payment by Drawer (Sender dwara payment rokna) HAAN - Treated as Dishonour under law
Code 05 Account Closed / Dormant (Khata band ya dormant hona) HAAN - Presumption of Dishonest Intention
Code 10 Post-Dated Cheque / Stale Cheque (3 mahine se purana cheque) Technical error (No criminal offense)
Code 13 Alteration / Overwriting on Cheque (Bina sign cutting hona) Technical rejection

2. Bank-Wise Cheque Bounce Penalty Charges (2026 Directory)

Cheque bounce hone par drawer (cheque likhne wale) aur payee (cheque jama karne wale) dono par financial penalty lagti hai:

Bank Name Drawer Charges (Insufficient Funds) Payee Charges (Cheque Return)
State Bank of India (SBI) ₹250 to ₹500 + GST ₹150 + GST
HDFC Bank ₹500 (1st return) / ₹750 (subsequent) + GST ₹100 + GST
ICICI Bank ₹500 for financial reasons + GST ₹100 to ₹200 + GST
Punjab National Bank (PNB) ₹250 (up to ₹1L) / ₹500 (above ₹1L) + GST ₹100 + GST
Bank of Baroda (BOB) ₹350 to ₹750 + GST ₹150 + GST
Axis Bank ₹500 per cheque + GST ₹100 + GST

3. Section 138 Ke Tehat Kanooni Karyawahi Ka Timeline (Court Process)

Yadi kisi vyakti ka cheque insufficient funds ke kaaran bounce hota hai, to kanoon ke tehat payee ko niche diye gaye kram me timeline follow karni hoti hai:

  1. Step 1 (Cheque Return Memo Prapt Hona): Cheque bounce hone par bank se formal return memo milta hai. Cheque ki validity 3 mahine hoti hai.
  2. Step 2 (30 Din Ke Andar Legal Demand Notice Bhejna): Memo milne ki tarikh se 30 din ke andar payee ko ek advocate ke madhyam se drawer ko registered legal notice bhejna anivarya hai.
  3. Step 3 (15 Din Ka Payment Grace Period): Notice milne ke baad drawer ko payment karne ke liye 15 din ka samay diya jata hai. Yadi vah 15 din me paise de deta hai to mamla samapt ho jata hai.
  4. Step 4 (Magistrate Court Me Case File Karna): Yadi 15 din beetne ke baad bhi payment nahi hota, to agle 30 din ke andar Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) / Metropolitan Magistrate court me Section 138 ke tehat criminal case file kiya jata hai.

4. Cheque Bounce Me Saza Aur Jurmana (Punishment)

Court me case sabit hone par kanoon me nirdharit saza:

  • Up to 2 Years Imprisonment: Doshi vyakti ko 2 saal tak ki jail ki saza ho sakti hai.
  • Double the Cheque Amount: Cheque ki rashi ka **Dugna (2x)** jurmana bharna pad sakta hai.
  • CIBIL Score Damage: Cheque bounce ka record CIBIL aur credit bureaus me report hota hai jisse future me koi bank loan ya credit card nahi deta.

5. Positive Pay System (PPS) Kya Hai?

RBI Positive Pay System: ₹50,000 aur usse adhik ke cheques ke liye RBI ne Positive Pay System shuru kiya hai. Isme cheque likhne wale ko netbanking ya mobile app se pehle hi cheque number, date, payee name aur amount verify karni hoti hai taaki fraud ya galat return se bacha ja sake.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Kya cheque bounce hone par turant jail ho sakti hai?

Nahi. Cheque bounce hone par turant police arrest nahi karti. Payee ko pehle 15 din ka legal demand notice bhejna hota hai, aur matter court me chalne ke baad yadi aropi payment na kare aur warrant jari ho, tabhi arrest ka aadesh hota hai.

Kya cheque bounce hone par settlement kiya ja sakta hai?

Haan! Section 138 ek 'Compoundable Offense' hai. Court me case chalne ke dauran kisi bhi stage par dono paksh aapas me samjhauta (settlement) karke case wapas le sakte hain.

Cheque par signature galat hone par kya 138 ka case hota hai?

Aamtaur par signature mismatch technical error hota hai. Lekin yadi court me yah sabit ho jaye ki drawer ne jaan-bujhkar galat sign kiya tha taaki cheque reject ho jaye, to ise bhi criminal intent mana jata hai.

6. Cheque Bounce Se Bachne Ke 5 Essential Golden Rules

Cheque bounce ke kanooni aur aarthik dushparinaamo se bachne ke liye har vyakti aur vyapari ko in 5 niyamo ka paalan karna chahiye:

  • Pehle Account Balance Verify Karein: Kisi ko bhi cheque issue karne se pehle hamesha mobile app ya missed call service se apna available balance check karein. Minimum balance requirement ko dhyan me rakhein.
  • Cheque Par Cutting Ya Overwriting Na Karein: RBI ke Cheque Truncation System (CTS-2010) standards ke anusar kisi bhi cutting ya overwriting wale cheque ko clearing house reject kar deta hai. Agar galti ho jaye to fresh cheque leaf use karein.
  • Post-Dated Cheque (PDC) Ka Record Maintain Karein: Yadi aapne aage ki tarikh ka cheque kisi ko diya hai, to apne diary ya phone reminder me tarikh save karein taaki us din account me paryapt funds available rahein.
  • Account Payee Crossing Jarur Karein: Cheque ke top-left corner par do parallel lines kheenchna aur "A/C PAYEE ONLY" likhna na bhoolein. Isse cheque ka durupayog nahi hota aur paisa seedha payee ke verified khate me jata hai.
  • High Value Cheque Par Positive Pay Confirm Karein: ₹50,000 se badi amount ke cheque par turant netbanking ya SMS ke madhyam se Positive Pay Confirmation bhej dein taaki bank verification delay na kare.

7. CTS-2010 Cheque Standards: Purane Cheques Kyu Reject Hote Hain?

Security Feature CTS-2010 Standard Kyu Banaya Gaya?
Paper Quality & Watermark Standardized security paper with bank logo watermark Color photocopy aur duplicate counterfeit rokne ke liye
Magnetic MICR Band 9-digit MICR code on bottom with magnetic ink High-speed automated sorter machines me instant scanning ke liye
UV Sensitive Ink Ultra-violet light me glowing bank logo Physical tampering aur chemical alteration detect karne ke liye