Statutory Protection to Collecting Banker Section 131 of the Negotiable Instruments Act provides protection to a collecting banker who receives payment of a crossed cheque or draft on behalf of his customers. According to Section 131 of the Act “a banker who has, in good faith and without negligence, received payment for a customer of a cheque crossed generally or specially to himself shall not, in case the title to the cheque proves defective, incur any liability to the true owner of the cheque by reason only of having received such payment.” The protection provided by Section 131 is not absolute but qualified. A collecting banker can claim protection against conversion if the following conditions are fulfilled. 1. Good Faith and Without Negligence: Statutory protection is available to a collecting banker when he receives payment in good faith and without negligence. The phrase in “good faith” means honestly and without notice or interest of de...