The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) charged a 31-year-old man from Ugyentse in Samtse for fraudulent cheque writing to Paro dzongkhag court.

According to the charges, the man took Nu 860,000 from a woman, who resides in Paro, claiming he would buy a shop for her in Thimphu.

It was alleged that he did not buy the shop but misused the money.

When the woman asked him to return her money, he gave her his Bank of Bhutan cheque of Nu 1.2 million (M) on November 13 last year. The woman later found that he did not have any money in his account.

“When the woman asked him to deposit money, he refused,” OAG alleged.

The woman then reported the matter to Paro police on March 2 this year.

Police investigation revealed that the two were acquaintances and after the man misused the money he took to buy shop for the woman, he gave the cheque of Nu 1.2M to repay her money and Nu 340,000 in appreciation for lending the money.

The woman then gave 60 days for the man to deposit the amount in his account but he couldn’t.

OAG charged the man for violating section 304 of the Penal Code of Bhutan, which states, “A defendant shall be guilty of the offence of fraudulent cheque writing, if the defendant issues or passes a cheque knowing that the drawer will not honour it.”

The offence grading will be value-based sentencing and according to section 18 (B) of the Penal Code, it would be a fourth-degree felony with maximum sentencing of five years in prison.

Staff reporter