Roublejit Singh @ Rouble Pehalwan v. State Of Punjab And Another
In the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, at Chandigarh Date of Decision: 27.09.2019 Roublejit Singh alias Rouble Pehalwan ... Petitioner(s)
Versus
State of Punjab and Another ... Respondent(s) CORAM: Hon'ble Mr. Justice Shekher Dhawan.
Present:
Mr. Pankaj Bali, Advocate for the petitioner(s).
Mr. Pawan Sharda, Senior Deputy Advocate General, Punjab for respondent No.1.
Mr. J.S.Khattar, Advocate for Mr. Naveen Mandhan, Advocate for respondent No.2.
Shekher Dhawan, J.
Present petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C. for seeking quashing of FIR No. 53 dated 01.04.2013, registered under Sections 452, 325, 323, 341, 506, 427, 148 & 149 IPC at Police Station Sadar, Khanna (Annexure P1), charge sheet dated 15.01.2014 (Annexure P2) and the subsequent proceedings arising therefrom, on the basis of compromise dated 11.04.2019 (Annexure P4).
Learned counsel for the petitioner contended that the parties have amicably settled their disputes with the intervention of the respectables. Learned counsel further contended that he has deposited a sum of Rs.15,000/- as costs with "Welfare Centre for Persons with Speech and Hair Impairment, Chandan Nagar, Sector 15, Phase-2, Behind I.T.I., Gurugram".
Learned counsel further contended that earlier, co-accused of the petitioner, namely Sumit Singh alias Prince Punia has filed petition vide CRM-M42536-2014 for quashing of the above said FIR qua him and the same was allowed by this Court vide order dated 17.10.2018, a copy thereof is available on the file as Annexure P3.
During the course of preliminary hearing, the learned trial Court was directed to record the statements of all the concerned parties, with regard to the genuineness and validity or otherwise of the compromise by this Court after having photocopy of the receipt of an amount of Rs.15,000/-, duly verified by their learned counsel.
In compliance thereof, report from the learned Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division)-cum-Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Khanna, has been received through District and Sessions Judge, Ludhiana, with statement of parties, wherein it has been mentioned that the petitioner has produced a copy of receipt regarding payment of costs of Rs.15,000/-, which was duly verified by his learned counsel and the compromise is genuine and there was no undue influence or coercion from any side. The Hon'ble Full Bench of this Court in case Kulwinder Singh vs. State of Punjab and Another, 2007(3) RCR (Criminal) 1052 and Hon'ble Division Bench of this Court in case Sube Singh and Another vs. State of Haryana and Another, 2013(4) RCR (Criminal) 102 observed that compounding of offence can be allowed even after conviction, during proceedings of the appeal against conviction pending in Sessions Court and in case of involving non-compoundable offence. An identical question came to be decided by the Hon'ble
Supreme Court in case Gian Singh Versus State of Punjab and Another. 2012(4) RCR (Criminal) 543. Having interpreted the relevant provisions it was ruled as under:- "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.
offences 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 personnel 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.
In other words, the High Court must consider whether it would be unfair or contrary to the interest of justice to continue with the criminal proceeding or continuation of the criminal proceeding would tantamount to abuse of process of law despite settlement and compromise between 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."
The same view has been recently reiterated by Hon'ble the Apex Court in case Narinder Singh and Others Vs. State of Punjab and Another, 2014(2) RCR (Criminal) 482.
Having regard to the contentions of learned counsel for the parties and the fact that in the present case FIR was registered and the case is at the initial stage, both the parties to the litigation have entered into compromise and on that basis, the present petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C. has been filed for quashing the present FIR. The compromise has been arrived at with the intervention of the respectable and family members and the parties have decided to keep harmony between them and to live peacefully in future. Hence, it would be in the interest and justice that parties are allowed to compromise the matter. Moreover, learned counsel for the parties are ad idem that, in view of the settlement of disputes between the parties, the present petition deserves to be accepted in this context.
In view of above, the instant petition is accepted. Consequently, the impugned FIR No. 53 dated 01.04.2013, registered under Sections 452, 325, 323, 341, 506, 427, 148 & 149 IPC at Police Station Sadar, Khanna (Annexure P1), charge sheet dated 15.01.2014 (Annexure P2) and the subsequent proceedings arising therefrom are hereby quashed, on the basis of compromise, qua the petitioner only.
(Shekher Dhawan) Judge September 27, 2019 "DK"
Whether speaking/reasoned :Yes/No Whether reportable : Yes/No