Dubai - Know the law in the UAE.
At the time of making cash payment to your previous landlord against the cheques, you should have collected back the original cheques. If you have the receipts issued by your previous landlord for the cash payments made against the cheques, then you could file a counter complaint with the Sharjah Public Prosecution for misusing your cheques and presenting it to the bank for collection even after payment of the amount.
Further, in the UAE, dishonour of a cheque is a criminal offence. This is in accordance with Article 401 of the Penal Law, which states: "A punishment of confinement shall be inflicted on any person who, in bad faith draws a cheque without no existing or drawable provision, or who, after issuing the cheque, withdraws all or part of the fund to that the balance becomes insufficient to settle the amount of the cheque, who orders the drawee not to pay cheque, or deliberately makes or signs the cheque in such a manner as to prevent it from being paid.
"Any person who endorses or delivers to another a cheque payable to bearer, whilst being aware that there are no existing funds covering its value or that it cannot be drawn shall be liable to the same punishment.
"The penal action shall lapse if payment is made or waived after the crime has occurred and before it has received a final ruling. If this occurs after the ruling has become final, its execution shall be stayed.".
Based on the aforementioned provision of law, even though the issuer of the cheque is subject to penalties or imprisonment or both if the cheques are dishonoured, the latter part of the said provision of the law states that punishment may be avoided if the amount of the cheque is paid in full to the payee or if the payee of the cheque waives his right to collect the proceedings.
On the other hand, while you had collected the NOC as clearance from your previous landlord to vacate the rented apartment, it is your responsibility to collect the remaining security rent deposit cheque/s.
Further, when you approach the Sharjah Public Prosecution, you should present all documents including your previous tenancy contract, cash receipts issued by the previous landlord for payment of rents against cheques, the NOC issued by your previous landlord to vacate the apartment and the copies of the dishonoured cheques. The public prosecutor upon verifying all documents submitted by you may close the case against you and open a criminal case against your previous landlord for misusing your cheques and filing a false complaint against you.