A cheque bearing two transverse parallel lines on its face, with or without the words 'and company', is generally crossed under Section 123 of the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881. As a result of such general crossing, the banker on whom the cheque is drawn -

A crossed cheque is one which bears two transverse parallel lines, with or without the words 'and company', generally on the left-hand top corner. Section 123 of the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 provides that where a cheque is crossed generally, the banker on whom it is drawn shall not pay it otherwise than to a banker. Section 124 deals with special crossing, where the name of a banker is written across the cheque and payment can be made only to that banker. Section 126 imposes the statutory duty on the paying banker, and Section 128 makes the banker paying a crossed cheque contrary to the crossing liable to the true owner. Since general crossing confines payment to a banker, the proposition that the drawee banker shall not pay otherwise than to a banker is correct.