Major Singh And ANR. v. State Of Punjab And Another

-2023:PHHC:146667IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of Decision : 17.11.2023 MAJOR SINGH AND ANOTHER .... Petitioners

VERSUS

STATE OF PUNJAB AND ANOTHER .... Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE ALKA SARIN Present :

Mr. G.S. Hayer, Advocate for the petitioners. Mr. Harjinder Singh Sidhu, AAG Punjab for respondent No.1. Mr. Tanvir Joshi, Advocate for respondent No.2. ALKA SARIN, J. (ORAL) 1.

The present petition has been filed under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 for quashing of FIR No.54 dated 05.05.2022 under Sections 323, 341, 354, 336, 506, 148, 149 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act, 1959 registered at Police Station Ladhuwal, District Police Commissionerate Ludhiana, along with all the subsequent proceedings arising therefrom, on the basis of compromise dated 24.02.2023 (Annexure P-2).

2.

On 02.05.2023 the following order was passed : "The petitioners have filed the present petition seeking quashing of FIR No.54 dated 05.05.2022 under Sections 323, 341, 354, 336, 506, 148, 149 of IPC and Sections 25 and 27 of Arms Act, registered at Police Station Ladhuwal, District Police Commissionerate

-2Ludhiana (Annexure P-1) and all other proceedings arising therefrom on the basis of the compromise dated 24.02.2023 (Annexure P-2).

Notice of motion.

On asking of the Court, Mr. Arun Gupta, AAG, Punjab, accepts notice on behalf of respondent No.1 and Mr. S.S. Simble, Advocate for Mr. Tanvir Joshi, Advocate, has put in appearance and accepts notice on behalf of respondents No.2 and endorsed the factum of compromise effected between the parties.

Adjourned to 03.10.2023.

In the meanwhile, both the parties are directed to appear before the concerned Illaga/Duty Magistrate on 30.05.2023 or any other date, as the Court below may decide or fix, for recording their statements, who shall record their respective statements with regard to the genuineness/correctness of the compromise and that the compromise is not the result of any fraud or misrepresentation and is the result of free will of the parties. It would also be verified that besides the accused (petitioners) mentioned in the petition, there is no other accused in the FIR and the parties are not involved or declared proclaimed offender in any other criminal case.

-3- The Illaga Magistrate/Duty Magistrate shall send his report through learned Sessions Judge concerned on or before the date fixed before this Court.

It is made clear that this order of getting the statements recorded is without prejudice to the right of the State to file a detailed reply as the Sate has raised substantial objections as the present FIR is lodged under Sections 25/27 of Arms Act and the illegal weapon has been recovered from the petitioner in another FIR.

Learned State counsel is permitted to file his detailed reply to the present petition as he opposes the said compromise."

3.

Pursuant to the order dated 02.05.2023, a report dated 08.11.2023 of the learned Judicial Magistrate, 1st Class, Ludhiana has been received by this Court wherein it has been stated that the statements of the parties have been recorded and the parties have stated that they have compromised the matter voluntarily without any threat, pressure, undue influence or fraud and that the complainant has no objection to the quashing of the present FIR. Statements of the parties have also been appended with the report.

4.

The Apex Court in the case of Gian Singh vs. State of Punjab & Anr. [2012 (10) SCC 303] has held as under :

-4- "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 what cases power to quash the criminal proceeding or complaint or F.I.R may be exercised where the offender and victim have settled their dispute would depend on the facts and circumstances of each case and no category can be prescribed.

However, before exercise of such power, the High Court must have due regard to the nature and gravity of the crime. Heinous and serious offences of mental depravity or offences like murder, rape, dacoity, etc. cannot be fittingly quashed even though the victim or victim's family and the offender have settled the dispute. Such offences are not private in nature and have serious impact on society.

-5Corruption 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. But the criminal cases having overwhelmingly and pre-dominatingly civil flavour stand on different footing for the purposes of quashing, particularly the offences arising from commercial, financial, mercantile, civil, partnership or such like transactions or the offences arising out of matrimony relating to dowry, etc. or the family disputes where the wrong is basically private or personal in nature and the parties have resolved their entire dispute.

In this category of cases, High Court may quash criminal proceedings if in its view, because of the compromise between the offender and victim, the possibility of conviction is remote and bleak and continuation of criminal case would put accused to great oppression and prejudice and extreme injustice would be caused to him by not quashing the criminal case despite full and complete settlement and compromise with the victim.

-6between the victim and wrongdoer and whether to secure the ends of justice, it is appropriate that criminal case is put to an end and if the answer to the above question(s) is in affirmative, the High Court shall be well within its jurisdiction to quash the criminal proceeding."

5.

Learned counsel for the petitioners has also referred to the law laid down by this Court in Kulwinder Singh & Ors. vs. State of Punjab & Anr. [2007 (3) RCR (Criminal) 1052] wherein it has been held that even in non-compoundable offences, if the parties have entered into a compromise, this Court has wide powers under Section 482 CrPC to quash the proceedings to prevent abuse of law and secure the ends of justice. 6.

In view of the above and keeping in view the report by the Trial Court that the parties have genuinely entered into a compromise and all the disputes between the parties have been resolved, it would not be in the interest of justice to continue the criminal proceedings. 7.

Resultantly, FIR No.54 dated 05.05.2022 under Sections 323, 341, 354, 336, 506, 148, 149 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act, 1959 registered at Police Station Ladhuwal, District Police Commissionerate Ludhiana, along with all the subsequent proceedings arising therefrom, are quashed on the basis of compromise dated 24.02.2023 (Annexure P-2).

8.

The petition is accordingly allowed. Pending applications, if any, also stand disposed of.

17.11.2023 (ALKA SARIN) Aman Jain JUDGE NOTE:

Whether speaking/non-speaking: Speaking Whether reportable: Yes/No