Sorav Kumar @ Sourabh Chopra And Another v. State Of Punjab And Another

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

Date of Decision: 28.02.2024 Sorav Kumar @ Sourabh Chopra and another .... Petitioners

Versus

State of Punjab and another .... Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE NIDHI GUPTA Present: - Mr. R.S. Mamli, Advocate for the petitioners. Ms. Aakanksha Gupta, AAG, Punjab.

Mr. Sachin Jain, Advocate for respondent No. 2. NIDHI GUPTA, J. (ORAL) The petitioners have filed the present petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C., for quashing of FIR No. 0309 dated 10.10.2020 (Annexure P-1) registered under Sections 406 and 498-A IPC at Police Station Dera Bassi, District SAS Nagar and all the consequential proceedings arising therefrom, on the basis of compromise dated 30.11.2021 (Annexure P-3) effected between the parties.

Pursuant to the order dated 20.11.2023 passed by a co-ordinate Bench of this Court, the parties appeared before the learned Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Dera Bassi, to get their statements recorded. Learned Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Dera Bassi, has submitted his report along with copies of statements of the parties vide letter dated 23.01.2024 duly forwarded by the learned District and Sessions Judge, SAS Nagar.

-2A perusal of the above said report would show that the petitioners and respondent No. 2 have appeared and suffered statements with respect to the compromise, which have been found to be voluntary genuine and without any undue influence, coercion or pressure of any kind.

Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that as per report, petitioners are only accused in the FIR and they are party to the compromise and have never been declared as proclaimed offenders. Learned State counsel has stated that he has 'no objection' in case the FIR is quashed on the basis of compromise qua the petitioners.

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

After perusing the report submitted by the learned Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Dera Bassi, this Court finds that the matter has been amicably settled between the petitioners and respondent No. 2. 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 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

-3matrimonial 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 here-inbelow:- "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 here-in-above, this petition is allowed and FIR No. 0309 dated 10.10.2020 (Annexure P-1) registered under Sections 406 and 498-A IPC at Police Station Dera Bassi, District SAS Nagar and all the consequential proceedings arising therefrom, are ordered to be quashed qua the petitioners. 28.02.2024 ( NIDHI GUPTA ) rishu JUDGE Whether speaking/reasoned Yes/No Whether Reportable Yes/No