Cheque bounce lawyer in Noida
If a buyer's cheque has bounced in Noida, you have 30 days from the bank's return memo to send a legal notice under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. The drawer then has 15 days to pay; if they do not, the complaint is filed within one month before the magistrate for your own bank branch, which for most Noida branches means the Chief Judicial Magistrate and Additional CJM courts at the District Court Complex, Surajpur, Greater Noida. No upfront fee; 30% only on what is recovered.
The Section 138 timeline
Every step has a fixed deadline. Missing one usually ends the criminal case, though a civil claim for the money remains. The dates on the right follow the example further down this page.
| Step | Deadline under the NI Act | Example dates |
|---|---|---|
| Present the cheque | Within its validity: three months from the date on the cheque | Presented on time |
| Bank returns it unpaid | You receive the return memo | 17 September 2026 |
| Send the demand notice | Within 30 days of receiving the memo | Sent 19 September 2026 (last day 17 October 2026) |
| Drawer has time to pay | 15 days from receiving the notice | Served 23 September 2026, pay by 8 October 2026 |
| File the complaint | Within one month after the 15 days end | By 8 November 2026 |
The offence is punishable with imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine of up to twice the cheque amount, or both. The court can order the drawer to pay interim compensation of up to 20% of the cheque amount during the trial (Section 143A), and a drawer who appeals a conviction must usually deposit at least 20% of the fine or compensation (Section 148).
Which court handles a cheque bounce case in Noida
Since the 2015 amendment to Section 142, a cheque presented through your account is tried by the court where the branch of your bank that holds that account is located. It does not matter where the drawer lives or where their bank is. A cheque deposited at any branch of your bank is treated as delivered to your home branch.
Noida and Greater Noida are in Gautam Buddh Nagar district. Cheque bounce complaints for branches anywhere in the district are filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate and the Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division) and ACJM courts at the District Court Complex, Surajpur, Greater Noida.
So even a Noida Sector 18 branch means a trip to Surajpur. If your account is in a Delhi branch, the case goes to Delhi instead, which some Noida businesses prefer.
Since the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita came into force on 1 July 2024, the old Metropolitan Magistrate courts are designated as Judicial Magistrate courts, so you will see both titles on cause lists and orders.
Cheque bounces in Noida's trade
Noida's electronics and mobile-component makers, garment exporters and IT firms deal with buyers in Delhi, Haryana and across India. Contract manufacturers often receive cheques from brand owners with "pay later" side letters; once deposited and dishonoured, the Section 138 timeline applies regardless.
Worked example. A Noida Phase II garment exporter deposits a ₹7,55,000 cheque from a Delhi buying house at its Sector 18 branch; it is returned for "funds insufficient". The bank's memo is dated 17 September 2026. FundRaksha's advocate sends the notice by speed post, email and WhatsApp on 19 September 2026, well inside the 30-day limit of 17 October 2026. It is delivered on 23 September 2026, so the drawer has until 8 October 2026 to pay ₹7,55,000. If they do not, the complaint is filed before 8 November 2026. If the drawer pays ₹7,55,000 after the notice, our fee is 30% of that, ₹2,26,500, and you keep ₹5,28,500.
Documents you need
- The original dishonoured cheque and the bank's return memo
- Your bank statement or passbook entry showing the return, and your branch address
- The invoices, ledger or agreement showing the debt the cheque was given for
- Messages or emails where the buyer promised payment or admitted the dues
- The drawer's full name and address; for a company or firm, the names of the directors or partners in charge
- The drawer's email address and mobile number, for electronic service of the summons
How FundRaksha Legal handles it
- You share the cheque, memo and invoices on WhatsApp or through the free consultation.
- A dedicated advocate checks the dates, drafts the statutory notice and sends it within 24 hours of complete documents.
- The advocate calls the drawer during the 15-day period. Many drawers pay or agree a written settlement here.
- If there is no payment, the advocate files the complaint in the right Noida court and appears for you. Settlement stays open throughout: the case can be compounded under Section 147, and settling early costs the drawer less. Under the Supreme Court's September 2025 guidelines, compounding at the revision stage costs 7.5% of the cheque amount, as the Delhi High Court applied in 2026.
There is no upfront fee. FundRaksha Legal's fee is 30% of the amount actually recovered; if nothing is recovered, there is no success fee. A legal notice goes out within 24 hours of complete documents. Court fees and other statutory charges, if a matter is filed, are paid by you, and you are told what they will be before anything is filed.
Cheque bounce questions from Noida
Which court hears a cheque bounce case in Noida?
The magistrate court for the area of the bank branch where you, the payee, hold the account through which the cheque was presented (Section 142(2) of the NI Act, as amended in 2015). For most Noida city branches that means the Chief Judicial Magistrate and Additional CJM courts at the District Court Complex, Surajpur, Greater Noida.
Is a Noida cheque bounce case heard in Noida itself?
No. Gautam Buddh Nagar district's magistrate courts sit at the District Court Complex in Surajpur, Greater Noida, so complaints for Noida branches are filed there.
How long do I have after the cheque bounces?
30 days from receiving the bank's return memo to send the demand notice. The drawer then has 15 days from receiving it to pay. If they do not, the complaint must be filed within one month after those 15 days end. In the example on this page, a memo dated 17 September 2026 means the notice must go by 17 October 2026.
What does a cheque bounce lawyer in Noida cost with FundRaksha?
No upfront fee. The fee is 30% of the amount actually recovered, and the legal notice goes out within 24 hours of complete documents. Court fees, if a complaint is filed, are paid by you and quoted in advance.
Related
- Legal notice for recovery in Noida, for unpaid invoices without a cheque
- Payment recovery in Noida
- Section 138 of the NI Act explained
- Cheque bounce lawyers in all cities (also in Uttar Pradesh: Lucknow, Kanpur, Ghaziabad)
Sources
- Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (Sections 138, 141, 142, 143A, 147, 148), India Code
- Official district court website for Noida
- Delhi High Court Practice Directions No. 157/Rules/DHC, 6 November 2025 (Section 138 complaints, after Sanjabij Tari v. Kishore S. Borcar)
- Delhi High Court, CRL.REV.P.(NI) 134/2026: compounding at 7.5% of the cheque amount under Sanjabij Tari
- Telangana High Court circular on Judicial Magistrates under the BNSS, 2023 (October 2024)
Checked on 21 October 2026. This guide is general information for Indian businesses, not legal advice for your specific case. Laws and rates change; check the current position or speak to an advocate before acting.
Cheque bounced in Noida?
A dedicated advocate, a legal notice within 24 hours of complete documents, and no upfront fee. 30% only on the amount recovered.