Whether magistrate can direct accused to pay interim compensation to complainant in cheque dishonour before he pleads not guilty to charge?

[Educator]

It was argued in sum that the stage for making such an orderwould arise only when the accused is not guilty to the accusationin the complaint.As is evident from plain reading of Section 143A (1)(a), it is only where the accused “pleads not guilty” of the accusation made in the complaint that interim compensation under Section 143A (1) can be granted. In the present case, the Magistrate did not