Radha deposits a cheque crossed generally, drawn on another bank, into her account with PQR Bank, which presents it for collection. The cheque turns out to have been obtained from the true owner by fraud, but PQR Bank acted in good faith and without negligence in taking it for collection and receiving payment. Under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, PQR Bank is protected against liability to the true owner under which section?

Section 131 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 protects a banker who, in good faith and without negligence, receives payment for a customer of a cheque crossed generally or specially to himself, from liability to the true owner of the cheque by reason only of having received such payment. Section 123 defines general crossing, two parallel transverse lines with or without the words 'and company', section 128 protects a paying banker who pays a crossed cheque in due course, and section 85 shields a paying banker who pays an uncrossed or order cheque in due course, while section 138 creates the offence of dishonour of a cheque. Since PQR Bank, as collecting banker, took the cheque in good faith and without negligence, the protection of section 131 applies despite the defective title of the cheque.