Twenty years ago, we paid an amount and received a handwritten receipt from a firm, with their official stamp and details of the cheque. Now, after all this time, the firm is claiming the cheque bounced. Can this old stamped receipt be considered proof of payment in court?

A handwritten receipt, even with an official stamp, may not be conclusive proof of payment in court after 20 years. Indian law requires a specific format for payment proof, such as a bank statement or a cancelled cheque, to be admissible. The receipt can be used as supporting evidence but may not be sufficient alone.