Chinav Arora & ORS. v. The State (NCT) Of Delhi & ANR.

$~101 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + CRL.M.C. 1790/2025 & CRL.M.A. 8081/2025 CHINAV ARORA & ORS.

.....Petitioners Through:

Ms. Garima Gupta and Mr. Avadhesh Kr., Advocates with Petitioners (inPersons).

versus THE STATE (NCT) OF DELHI & ANR.

.....Respondents Through:

Mr. Hemant Mehla, APP for State.

SI Manish Kumar, P.S. South Rohini.

Mr. Chirag Mudgal and Mr. Deepak Sharma, Advocates for R-2 with Respondent No. 2 (in-Person)

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJEEV NARULA

O R D E R

% 07.07.2025 1.

The present petition under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 20231 (erstwhile Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 19732) seeks quashing of FIR No. 332/2022 dated 12th July, 2022, registered under Sections 498A, 406 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 18603 at P.S. South Rohini, and all other proceedings emanating therefrom. 2.

Petitioner No. 1 is the husband of Respondent No. 2. Petitioners No. 2 to 5 are the in-laws of Respondent No. 2. The marriage between Petitioner No. 1 and Respondent No. 2 was solemnized on 18th October, 2002 as per Hindu rites and ceremonies and two children are born from the said 1 "BNSS"

2 "Cr.P.C."

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marriage. However, due to matrimonial discord, the relationship between the parties deteriorated. Several efforts for reconciliation were made but to no avail.

3.

Subsequently, Respondent No. 2 filed a complaint with the Crime Against Women Cell, Rohini, Delhi against Petitioners, alleging that she was subjected to cruelty and harassment by them, which later culminated into the impugned FIR.

4.

The present petition is filed on the ground that the matter has been amicably settled between the parties on their own free will, without any coercion, pressure or undue influence and in this regard a Memorandum of Understanding/Compromise Deed dated 24th August, 2024 has been executed between Petitioner No. 1 and Respondent No. 2. As per the terms of the settlement, both the parties have agreed to withdraw all pending cases filed against one another, including a petition under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, filed by Petitioner no. 1 before the family Court, Karnal, Haryana as well as the impugned FIR filed by Respondent No. 2. The settlement further notes that there are no grievances left between the parties or their family members and thus, there is no purpose of keeping the impugned FIR alive. Pursuant to the said settlement, the parties are now happily living together.

5.

On 17th March, 2025, the statement of Respondent No. 2 was recorded before the Joint Registrar of this Court, as follows: "I am the R-2 in the present matter. The dispute between me and P-1 have been amicably settled as per settlement deed dated 24.08.2024. I am living happily with P-1 and other petitioners together for the last 9 months. The settlement has been arrived at between myself and petitioners 3 "IPC"

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without any force, coercion, undue influence and pressure. I have signed the settlement deed with my wish and will.

I do not want to pursue the present FIR bearing No. 332/2022 PS South Rohini therefore, the same be quashed.

I shall be bound by my statement as stated above." In light of the foregoing, counsel for the parties jointly pray for quashing of the impugned FIR.

6.

Respondent No. 2, who is present before this Court in person, confirms her statement made to the Court and gives no objection to the quashing of the impugned FIR. In this regard, an affidavit has also been executed by her, which has been placed on record. She states that she has voluntarily returned to her matrimonial home, and has been happily residing with her husband and in-laws. She further states that since she has returned, there have been no instances of any domestic violence. 7.

The Court has considered the afore-noted facts. Notably, the offence under Section 498A of IPC is non-compoundable, while offence under Sections 406 and 506 of IPC are compoundable. It is well-established that the High Courts, in exercise of their powers under Section 528 of BNSS (formerly 482 of Cr.P.C.), can compound offences which are noncompoundable on the ground that there is a compromise between the accused and the complainant. In Narinder Singh & Ors. v. State of Punjab & Anr.,4 the Supreme Court laid down guidelines for High Courts while accepting settlement deeds between parties and quashing the proceedings. The relevant observations in the said decision read as under: "29. In view of the aforesaid discussion, we sum up and lay down the following principles by which the High Court would be guided in giving adequate treatment to the settlement between the parties and exercising its power under Section 482 of the Code while accepting 4 (2014) 6 SCC 466 The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

the settlement and quashing the proceedings or refusing to accept the settlement with direction to continue with the criminal proceedings: 29.1. Power conferred under Section 482 of the Code is to be distinguished from the power which lies in the Court to compound the offences under Section 320 of the Code. No doubt, under Section 482 of the Code, the High Court has inherent power to quash the criminal proceedings even in those cases which are not compoundable, where the parties have settled the matter between themselves. However, this power is to be exercised sparingly and with caution. 29.2. When the parties have reached the settlement and on that basis petition for quashing the criminal proceedings is filed, the guiding factor in such cases would be to secure:

(i) ends of justice, or (ii) to prevent abuse of the process of any court. While exercising the power the High Court is to form an opinion on either of the aforesaid two objectives.

29.3. Such a power is not to be exercised in those prosecutions which involve heinous and serious offences of mental depravity or offences like murder, rape, dacoity, etc. Such offences are not private in nature and have a serious impact on society. Similarly, for the offences alleged to have been committed under special statute like the Prevention of Corruption Act or the offences committed by public servants while working in that capacity are not to be quashed merely on the basis of compromise between the victim and the offender.

29.4. On the other hand, those criminal cases having overwhelmingly and predominantly civil character, particularly those arising out of commercial transactions or arising out of matrimonial relationship or family disputes should be quashed when the parties have resolved their entire disputes among themselves.

29.5. While exercising its powers, the High Court is to examine as to whether the possibility of conviction is remote and bleak and continuation of criminal cases would put the accused to great oppression and prejudice and extreme injustice would be caused to him by not quashing the criminal cases."

[Emphasis Supplied] 8.

Similarly, in the case of Parbatbhai Aahir & Ors. v. State of Gujarat The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

& Anr.,5 the Supreme Court had observed as under: "16. The broad principles which emerge from the precedents on the subject, may be summarised in the following propositions: 16.1. Section 482 preserves the inherent powers of the High Court to prevent an abuse of the process of any court or to secure the ends of justice. The provision does not confer new powers. It only recognises and preserves powers which inhere in the High Court. 16.2. The invocation of the jurisdiction of the High Court to quash a first information report or a criminal proceeding on the ground that a settlement has been arrived at between the offender and the victim is not the same as the invocation of jurisdiction for the purpose of compounding an offence.

While compounding an offence, the power of the court is governed by the provisions of Section 320 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. The power to quash under Section 482 is attracted even if the offence is non-compoundable. 16.3. In forming an opinion whether a criminal proceeding or complaint should be quashed in exercise of its jurisdiction under Section 482, the High Court must evaluate whether the ends of justice would justify the exercise of the inherent power. 16.4. While the inherent power of the High Court has a wide ambit and plenitude it has to be exercised (i) to secure the ends of justice, or (ii) to prevent an abuse of the process of any court. 16.5.

The decision as to whether a complaint or first information report should be quashed on the ground that the offender and victim have settled the dispute, revolves ultimately on the facts and circumstances of each case and no exhaustive elaboration of principles can be formulated.

16.6. In the exercise of the power under Section 482 and while dealing with a plea that the dispute has been settled, the High Court must have due regard to the nature and gravity of the offence. Heinous and serious offences involving mental depravity or offences such as murder, rape and dacoity cannot appropriately be quashed though the victim or the family of the victim have settled the dispute. Such offences are, truly speaking, not private in nature but have a serious impact upon society. The decision to continue with the trial in such cases is founded on the overriding element of public interest 5 (2017) 9 SCC 641 The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

in punishing persons for serious offences.

16.7. As distinguished from serious offences, there may be criminal cases which have an overwhelming or predominant element of a civil dispute. They stand on a distinct footing insofar as the exercise of the inherent power to quash is concerned.

16.8. Criminal cases involving offences which arise from commercial, financial, mercantile, partnership or similar transactions with an essentially civil flavour may in appropriate situations fall for quashing where parties have settled the dispute. 16.9. In such a case, the High Court may quash the criminal proceeding if in view of the compromise between the disputants, the possibility of a conviction is remote and the continuation of a criminal proceeding would cause oppression and prejudice; and 16.10. There is yet an exception to the principle set out in propositions 16.8. and 16.9. above. Economic offences involving the financial and economic well-being of the State have implications which lie beyond the domain of a mere dispute between private disputants. The High Court would be justified in declining to quash where the offender is involved in an activity akin to a financial or economic fraud or misdemeanour. The consequences of the act complained of upon the financial or economic system will weigh in the balance." [Emphasis Supplied] 9.

Thus, considering the nature of dispute, the fact that the parties have amicably entered into a settlement and have chosen to resume their matrimonial life with one another, this Court is of the opinion that the present case is fit to exercise jurisdiction under Section 528 of BNSS as no purpose would be served by keeping the dispute alive. The continuance of the present proceedings would only amount to abuse of the process of Court. 10.

In view of the above, the impugned FIR No. 332/2022 registered under Sections 498A, 406 and 34 of the IPC at P.S. South Rohini and all consequential proceedings arising therefrom are hereby quashed. 11.

Parties shall remain bund by the terms of the settlement. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

12.

The present petition is allowed in the aforesaid terms. SANJEEV NARULA, J JULY 7, 2025 as The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.