Ram Kumar v. The Inspector Of Police

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 20.05.2016

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE B.GOKULDAS Crl.O.P.(MD)No.8221 of 2016

1. Ram Kumar

2. Kanthan

3. Susila

4. Saraswathi ... Petitioners/Accused Nos.1 to 4 Vs.

1. The State through The Inspector of Police, All Women Police Station, Virudhunagar, Virudhunagar District.

... 1st Respondent/Complainant

2. Mrs.Maheswari ... 2nd Respondent/Defacto Complainant Prayer: Criminal Original Petition is filed under Section 482 of Cr.P.C., to call for the entire records relating to the case in Crime No.13 of 2016 pending on the file of the first respondent and quash the same as illegal.

For Petitioners : Mr.S.Malaikani For R1 : Mrs.S.Prabha Government Advocate (Crl.side) For R2 : Mr.A.Abdul Kapur

O R D E R

This Criminal Original Petition has been filed to quash the F.I.R. in Crime No.13 of 2016 on the file of the first respondent.

2. It is seen that a case in Crime No.13 of 2016 for the alleged offences under Sections 498(A) and 406 of I.P.C., and Section 4 of Tamil Nadu Dowry Prohibition Act, has been registered against the petitioners/ accused Nos.1 to 4.

3. When the matter is taken up for hearing, the petitioners/ accused Nos.1 to 4 and the second respondent/de facto complainant appeared in person and their identifications were also verified by this Court, in addition to the confirmation of the identity of the parties by the Government Advocate (Criminal Side) through the first respondent, the Inspector of Police, All Women Police Station, Virudhunagar, Virudhu District. Learned counsel appearing for the parties also endorsed the identify of their respective parties.

4. The learned counsel appearing on either side filed a joint memo of compromise duly stating that since the parties have arrived at an amicable settlement by way of compromise among themselves, the second respondent has agreed to withdraw the above case in Crime No.13 of 2016 on the file of the first respondent Police.

5. When such a situation arose in similarly placed matters in Crl.O.P.(MD) Nos.406, 530 and 864 of 2016 (Prabu and others vs. State Rep. By The Inspector of Police and others), decided on 28.01.2016, this Court considered the various decisions rendered by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in this regard in several cases, namely, Gian Singh vs. State of Punjab and another [(2012) 10 SCC 303], B.S.Joshi vs. State of Haryana [(2003) 4 SCC 675], Nikhil Merchant vs. CBI [(2008) 9 SCC 677], Narinder Singh and others vs. State of Punjab and another [(2014) 6 SCC 466] and State of Madhya Pradesh vs. Manish and others [(2015) 8 SCC 307] and observed as under:

"11. If the offences against women and children and the IPC offences falling under the categories, like, murder, attempt to murder, offence against unsound mind, rape, bribe, fabrication of documents, false evidence, robbery, dacoity, abduction, kidnapping, minor girl rape, idol theft, preventing a public servant from discharging of his/her duty, outrage of woman modesty, counterfeiting currency notes or bank notes, etc., are allowed to be compounded, it will surely have serious repercussion on the society, as the above mentioned list is only illustrative and not exhaustive.

Similarly, any compromise between the victim and the offender in relation to the offences clubbed with Special Enactment, like Arms Act, the Prevention of Corruption Act, TNPPDL Act, TNPID Act or the offences committed by Public Servants while working in that capacity, etc., cannot provide for any basis for quashing criminal proceedings involving such offences.

concerned, the possibility of conviction is remote and bleak, in case the parties resolve their entire disputes amicably among themselves. This Court feels that there cannot be any compromise in respect of the heinous and serious offences of mental depravity and in that case, the Court should be very slow in accepting the compromise. If the compromise is entertained mechanically by the Court, the accused will have the upper hand. The jurisdiction of this Court may not be allowed to be exploited by the accused, who can well afford to wait for a logical conclusion. The antecedents of the accused have also to be taken into consideration before accepting the memo of compromise and the accused, by means of compromise, cannot try to escape from the clutches of law."

6. Taking note of the judgments referred to supra, considering the nature of allegations and in view of the joint memo of compromise, dated 17.05.2016, this Court is of the opinion that no useful purpose would be served in keeping the matters pending. Therefore, the entire proceedings in Crime No.13 of 2016, on the file of the first respondent Police, in respect of all the accused, are hereby quashed.

7. Accordingly, the Criminal Original Petitions is allowed on the basis of the compromise entered into between the parties. The joint compromise memo, dated 17.05.2016, shall form part of this order.

Sd/- Assistant Registrar/ Vacation Officer /TRUE COPY/ Sub Assistant Registrar Encl : Memo of Compromise To

1. The Inspector of Police, All Women Police Station, Virudhunagar, Virudhunagar District.

2. The Additional Public Prosecutor, Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Madurai.

+1cc to Mr.S.Malaikani, Advocate, Sr.No.26729 akv JM/AAL-MPA/SAR-II/26.05.2016/3P-4C Crl.O.P.(MD)No.8221 of 2016 20.05.2016