Magistrate mishandles cheque dishonor case by mechanically taking cognizance, ignoring Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments Act requirements.

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....Dishonor of Cheque - “Taking cognizance” though requires great exercise of judicial mind and is not a mechanical process but it appears in the present case that the magistrate concerned has understood the term “ taking cognizance” as delivery system in the post office without application of mind. Unfortunately this is never the intention of the legislature, as is evident from the provision of section 190(a) of Code of Criminal Procedure which shows learned magistrate can proceed on curtain direction upon receiving the petition of complaint of facts which constitute such offence. Magistrate never considered whether the allegations levelled in the complaint constitutes offence under section 138 of N.I. Act and whether prima facie case persists which is pre-eminently required and the same cannot be surrogated to a mechanical process. - HC....