Kerala High Court
Mariamma @ Kochumol vs State Of Kerala on 23 April, 2024
Author: P.V.Kunhikrishnan
Bench: P.V.Kunhikrishnan
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN
TUESDAY, THE 23RD DAY OF APRIL 2024 / 3RD VAISAKHA, 1946
CRL.MC NO. 3448 OF 2024
CRIME NO.35/1991 OF KARUVARAKUNDU POLICE STATION, MALAPPURAM
AGAINST THE ORDER/JUDGMENT DATED IN LP NO.1 OF 1998 OF JUDICIAL
MAGISTRATE OF FIRST CLASS -II (FOREST OFFENCES), MANJERI
PETITIONER:
MARIAMMA @ KOCHUMOL, AGED 55 YEARS
D/O.VARGHESE, PULLUKALAYIL, CHULLIYODE,
KARUVAKUNDU.P.O, PARAYAMMAD, MALAPPURAM,
PIN - 676523
BY ADV V.A.JOHNSON (VARIKKAPPALLIL)
RESPONDENTS:
1 STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,
HIGH COURT OF KERALA ERNAKULAM, PIN - 682031
2 THRESSYAMMA, AGED 82 YEARS, W/O.MATHAI,
PUTHENPURACKAL HOUSE, KARUVAKUNDU.P.O,
PARAYAMMAD, MALAPPURAM, PIN - 676523
BY ADVS.
SMT.T.J. MARIA - R2
SMT. SEETHA S - SR. P.P.
THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON
23.04.2024, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING:
CrlMC 3448/24
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ORDER
This Criminal Miscellaneous Case is filed under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 ("the Code" for the sake of brevity).
2. The petitioner is the accused in L.P.No.1/1998 on the files of the Judicial First Class Magistrate's Court-II (Forest Offences), Manjeri, arising from Crime No.35/1991 of Karuvakundu Police Station, Malappuram. There were three accused in the above crime and cases against accused Nos.2 and 3 were compounded is the submission. Originally, the case was registered as CC No.381/1991 and after compounding the offences against 2nd and 3rd accused, the case against the petitioner was refiled as CC No.656/1995 and subsequently, included in the long-pending register as L.P.No.1/1998.
3. The prosecution case is that on 03.04.1991, the accused, sharing common intention, attacked the defacto complainant due to previous enmity by pelting stone at her and caused grievous hurt to her.
4. The learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the parties have settled their dispute and do not wish to CrlMC 3448/24 3 pursue the prosecution proceedings. The counsel relies on the affidavit filed by the victim in support of his contention. The counsel appearing for the victim also submitted that the matter is settled and the victim has no objection in quashing the prosecution.
5. The learned Public Prosecutor, on instructions, has expressed reservations about quashing the proceedings solely on the basis of the settlement. But the Public Prosecutor conceded that the matter is settled between the parties.
6. This Court has considered the submission of the petitioner, victim and the Public Prosecutor and has also gone through the records including the affidavit filed by the victim.
7. In State of Madhya Pradesh v Laxmi Narayan and Others (2019 (5) SCC 688), three judge bench of the Hon'ble Supreme Court has summarized the situation in which non compoundable offences can be quashed invoking the powers under Section 482 of the Code. The Apex Court in Laxmi Narayan's case (supra) also relied on the law laid down in Gian Singh v. State of Punjab and Another CrlMC 3448/24 4 (2012 (10) SCC 303) and Narinder Singh and Others v. State of Punjab and Another (2014 (6) SCC 466). The Apex Court in paragraph 13 of the Laxmi Narayan's case discussed the law in detail and the same is extracted hereunder:
"13. Considering the law on the point and the other decisions of this Court on the point, referred to herein above, it is observed and held as under:
i) that the power conferred under S.482 of the Code to quash the criminal proceedings for the non - compoundable offences under S.320 of the Code can be exercised having overwhelmingly and predominantly the civil character, particularly those arising out of commercial transactions or arising out of matrimonial relationship or family disputes and when the parties have resolved the entire dispute amongst themselves;
ii) such power is not to be exercised in those prosecutions which involved heinous and serious offences of mental depravity or offences like murder, rape, dacoity, etc. Such offences are not private in nature and have a serious impact on society;
iii) similarly, such power is not to be exercised for the offences under the special statutes like Prevention of Corruption Act or the offences committed by public servants while working in that capacity are not to be quashed merely on the basis of compromise between the victim and the offender;
iv) offences under S.307 IPC and the Arms Act etc. would fall in the category of heinous and serious offences and therefore are to be treated as crime against the society and not against the individual alone, and therefore, the criminal CrlMC 3448/24 5 proceedings for the offence under S.307 IPC and / or the Arms Act etc. which have a serious impact on the society cannot be quashed in exercise of powers under S.482 of the Code, on the ground that the parties have resolved their entire dispute amongst themselves. However, the High Court would not rest its decision merely because there is a mention of S.307 IPC in the FIR or the charge is framed under this provision. It would be open to the High Court to examine as to whether incorporation of S.307 IPC is there for the sake of it or the prosecution has collected sufficient evidence, which if proved, would lead to framing the charge under S.307 IPC. For this purpose, it would be open to the High Court to go by the nature of injury sustained, whether such injury is inflicted on the vital / delegate parts of the body, nature of weapons used etc. However, such an exercise by the High Court would be permissible only after the evidence is collected after investigation and the charge sheet is filed / charge is framed and / or during the trial. Such exercise is not permissible when the matter is still under investigation. Therefore, the ultimate conclusion in paragraphs 29.6 and 29.7 of the decision of this Court in the case of Narinder Singh (supra) should be read harmoniously and to be read as a whole and in the circumstances stated herein above;
v) while exercising the power under S.482 of the Code to quash the criminal proceedings in respect of non- compoundable offences, which are private in nature and do not have a serious impart on society, on the ground that there is a settlement / compromise between the victim and the offender, the High Court is required to consider the antecedents of the accused; the conduct of the accused, namely, whether the accused was absconding and why he was absconding, how he had managed with the complainant to enter into a compromise etc."CrlMC 3448/24 6
8. Keeping in mind the above dictum laid down by the Apex Court, this Court perused the facts in this case and also perused the documents produced by the parties. After going through the entire facts and circumstances, I am of the considered opinion that the dispute is private in nature and the settlement can be accepted.
Therefore, this Criminal Miscellaneous case is allowed and all further proceedings against the petitioner in L.P.No.1/1998 on the files of the Judicial First Class Magistrate's Court-II (Forest Offences), Manjeri, arising from Crime No.35/1991 of Karuvakundu Police Station, Malappuram are quashed.
Sd/-
RR P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN
JUDGE
CrlMC 3448/24
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APPENDIX OF CRL.MC 3448/2024
PETITIONER ANNEXURES
Annexure 1 CERTIFIED COPY OF THE FINAL REPORT IN
L.P.NO.1/1998 OF THE COURT OF JUDICIAL FIRST CLASS MAGISTRATE-II, (FOREST OFFENCES), MANJERI Annexure 2 THE AFFIDAVIT SWORN BY THE 2ND RESPONDENT HEREIN EVIDENCING THE AFORESAID FACTUM OF SETTLEMENT