Sawan And ANR. v. State Of Haryana And Others

2024:PHHC:046088

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA

AT CHANDIGARH Date of order: 04.04.2024 SAWAN AND ANR.

....Petitioners

Versus

STATE OF HARYANA AND OTHERS ....Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE NIDHI GUPTA Present:- Mr. Jaskaran Singh, Advocate for the petitioners. Mr. Aditya Pal Singla, AAG, Haryana.

Mr. Prateek Sharma, Advocate for respondents No.2 to 4 *** Nidhi Gupta, J. (Oral) Prayer in the present petition under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure is for quashing of FIR No.264 dated 02.11.2023 under Sections 34/354/354-D/506 IPC registered at Police Station Nigdhu, Karnal Haryana (Annexure P-1) and all consequential proceedings arising therefrom on the basis of compromise deed dated 16.01.2024 (Annexure P-2) arrived at between the parties.

Vide order dated 31.01.2024, a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court had directed the parties to appear before the concerned CJM/Illaqa Magistrate/Trial Court on 16.04.2024 for getting their statements recorded in terms of certain parameters given in the aforesaid order with regard to the compromise deed dated 16.01.2024 (Annexure P-2). In terms of the order dated 31.01.2024 passed by this Court, parties have appeared before the Court of learned Judicial Magistrate First Class, Karnal to get their statements recorded. Learned Judicial Magistrate First Class, Karnal has submitted her report dated 05.03.2024 along with the

[2] statements of the parties, which was duly forwarded by the learned District & Sessions Judge, Karnal to this Court.

A perusal of the above said report would show that the petitioners and respondents No.2 to 4 have appeared and suffered statements with respect to the compromise, which have been found to be voluntary, genuine, and without any coercion or undue influence. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that as per the report, the compromise has been effected between the parties without any threat, pressure, undue influence or fraud and the complainant(s) has no objection, if aforesaid FIR is quashed against the petitioners. Learned State counsel states that he has no objection in case the FIR is quashed on the basis of compromise deed dated 16.01.2024 (Annexure P-2) qua the petitioners.

Learned counsel for respondents No.2 to 4 has again reiterated that the matter has been settled and the said compromise is in the interest of all the persons and would help in bringing out peace and amity between the parties.

This Court has heard learned counsel for the parties and has perused the file.

After perusing the report submitted by the learned Judicial Magistrate First Class, Karnal, this Court finds that the matter has been amicably settled between the petitioners and respondents No.2 to 4. Since the matter has been settled and the parties have decided to live in peace, this Court feels that in order to secure the ends of justice, the criminal proceedings deserve to be quashed.

As per the Full Bench judgment of this Court in "Kulwinder Singh and others Vs State of Punjab", 2007 (3) RCR (Criminal) 1052, it

[3] is held that High Court has power under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to allow the compounding of non-compoundable offence and quash the proceedings where the High Court is of the opinion that the same is required to prevent the abuse of the process of law or otherwise to secure the ends of justice. This power of quashing is not confined to matrimonial disputes alone. Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of "Gian Singh Vs. State of Punjab and another", 2012 (4) RCR (Criminal) 543, had also observed that in order to secure the ends of justice or to prevent the abuse of process of Court, inherent power can be used by this Court to quash criminal proceedings in which a compromise has been effected. The relevant portion of para 57 of the said judgment is reproduced hereinbelow:- "57.

The position that emerges from the above discussion can be summarised thus: the power of the High Court in quashing a criminal proceeding or FIR or complaint in exercise of its inherent jurisdiction is distinct and different from the power given to a criminal court for compounding the offences under Section 320 of the Code. Inherent power is of wide plenitude with no statutory limitation but it has to be exercised in accord with the guideline engrafted in such power viz; (i) to secure the ends of justice or (ii) to prevent abuse of the process of any Court."

In view of what has been discussed hereinabove, the present petition is allowed and FIR No.264 dated 02.11.2023 under Sections 34/354/354-D/506 IPC registered at Police Station Nigdhu, Karnal Haryana (Annexure P-1) along with all consequential proceedings arising therefrom

[4] on the basis of compromise deed dated 16.01.2024 (Annexure P-2), are ordered to be quashed qua the petitioners.

(Nidhi Gupta) Judge 04.04.2024 'Amit'

Whether speaking/reasoned :

Yes/No Whether reportable :

Yes/No

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