In Tom Thomas Vs. State Bank of India Overseas Branch, Willington Island, Kerala High Court found that the very prayer of the guarantors is essentially for a direction to the creditor bank to proceed against certain other items of secured assets initially, and to proceed against the residential properties only thereafter and held that it is the prerogative of the creditor to proceed for recovery of its debt in any of the legally permissible modes and against the available securities. It is up to him to choose the easiest mode which according to him would enable him to realise his debt. The surety or the principal debtor do not have a right to dictate terms to the creditor as to how he should make recovery of its debt.
In OP(Crl.).No.348 OF 2019, T.K.SAJEEVAN vs FRANCIS T.CHACKO, the appeal was filed against the order of the lower court to deposit 25% of the fine before filling of appeal. The appellant argued that the deposit introduced through the Section 148 of the NI Act after amendment was directory in nature as it used the term 'may' while mentioning the issue of deposit. The Kerala High Court however disagreeing held that in view of the object of the Legislature while incorporating Section 148 into N.I. Act, the word 'may' will have to be read as 'shall'. The imposition of payment contemplated under Section 148 N.I. Act cannot be restricted to some prosecutions and evaded in other prosecutions. Since the amount directed to be deposited being compensation, undoubtedly, it is liable to be ordered to be deposited irrespective of the nature of the prosecution. Therefore, the word 'may' can only be taken to have the colour and meaning of 'shall' and there
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