IBC moratorium protects the corporate debtor but does not...

IBC moratorium protects the corporate debtor but does not suspend or extinguish the personal statutory liability of directors or authorised signatories for cheque dishonour under the Negotiable Instruments Act. Expiry of the payment period after commencement of the moratorium is relevant but not conclusive. Specific allegations concerning the signatory's responsibility, issuance of cheques, and admitted signatures can sustain prosecution despite suspension of the board's powers, which does not retrospectively erase pre-moratorium acts. Defences based on knowledge, due diligence, or appointment of an insolvency professional require trial evidence and cannot ordinarily be determined in quashing proceedings. Accordingly, the moratorium did not bar the cheque-dishonour prosecution.