Kerala High Court
P.N Santhosh Kumar vs State Of Kerala on 31 October, 2025
Author: C.S.Dias
Bench: C.S.Dias
CRL.MC NO. 3200 OF 2023 1 2025:KER:82599
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE C.S.DIAS
FRIDAY, THE 31ST DAY OF OCTOBER 2025 / 9TH KARTHIKA, 1947
CRL.MC NO. 3200 OF 2023
CRIME NO.14/CB/KLM&PTA/R/2020 OF CBCID, PATHANAMTHITTA,
Pathanamthitta
AGAINST THE ORDER/JUDGMENT DATED IN CC NO.8 OF 2023 OF
JUDICIAL MAGISTRATE OF FIRST CLASS ,RANNI
PETITIONERS:
1 P.N SANTHOSH KUMAR,
AGED 54 YEARS
S/O P.K NARAYANAN,PAROOR KIZHAKKETHIL HOUSE,
VADASSERRIKKARA VILLAGE,EDAKKULAM PO EDAKKULAM,
PATHANAMTHITTA DISTRICT, PIN - 689672
2 K. VASANTHAKUMAR,
AGED 51 YEARS
S/O KARUNAKARAN,VASANTHABHAVANAM, PAZHAVANGADI
VILLAGE, KARIKULAM P.O,MUKKALIMAN, RANNI,
PATHANAMTHITTA DISTRICT, PIN - 689673
3 K.S MANJU,
AGED 42 YEARS
W/O SHIBU, KIZHAKKEKKUTTU HOUSE,VADASSERIKKARA
VILLAGE, KUMPALATHAMON P.O, RANNI,PATHANAMTHITTA
DISTRICT, PIN - 689662
4 K.S RAJESH,
AGED 49 YEARS
S/O K.SREEDHARAN, SREENANDHANAM HOUSE,IDAKKUNNAM
VILLAGE, PARATHODE P.O, KANJIRAPALLY TALUK, KOTTAYAM
DISTRICT, PIN - 686512
5 K.SHAJAHAN,
AGED 58 YEARS
S/O S.ABDUL KHADER, D.B.R.A-9, ALJAFAR, NANDANKODE,
KOWDIAR, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM DISTRICT, PIN - 695003
CRL.MC NO. 3200 OF 2023 2 2025:KER:82599
BY ADV SHRI.SREEHARI INDUKALADHARAN
RESPONDENTS:
1 STATE OF KERALA,
REPRESENTED BY PUBLIC PROSECUTOR,HIGH COURT OF
KERALA, PIN - 682031
2 CIRCLE INSPECTOR OF POLICE,
RANNI POLICE STATION, PATHANAMTHITTA DISTRICT, PIN -
689672
3 SUVARNA,
AGED 54 YEARS
W/O PUSHPANGATHAN, RESIDING AT ALAPPAT VEEDU ,
ANGAMUZHI , SEETHATHODU VILLAGE , KONNI TALUK ,
PATHANAMTHITTA, PIN - 689667
4 SUMA,
AGED 49 YEARS
W/O SURESH RESIDING AT PUTHANVEETIL HOUSE ANGAMUZHI ,
SEETHATHODU VILLAGE , KONNI TALUK , PATHANAMTHITTA,
PIN - 689667
BY ADV PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
PP.SRI.SANAL P. RAJ, PP.SRI.M.P.PRASANTH
THIS CRIMINAL MISC. CASE HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON
31.10.2025, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY PASSED THE FOLLOWING:
CRL.MC NO. 3200 OF 2023 3 2025:KER:82599
C.S.DIAS, J.
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CRL.MC NO. 3200 OF 2023
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Dated this the 31st day of October, 2025
ORDER
The petitioners are the accused Nos. 1 to 5 in C.C.No.8/2023 on the file of the Court of the Judicial First Class Magistrate, Ranny, which has arisen from Crime No.14/CB/KLM&PTA/R/2020 of 2020 Crime Branch, Pathanamthitta registered by the alleging the commission of the offences punishable under Sections 120B, 420, 460, 468, 471 and 477A r/w Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
2. The petitioners have invoked the inherent jurisdiction of this Court under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, to quash all further proceedings in the above case. It is asserted that the dispute that led to the registration of the crime has been amicably settled between the petitioners and the respondents 3 and 4, who have executed Annexures A5 and A6 CRL.MC NO. 3200 OF 2023 4 2025:KER:82599 affidavits, affirming the settlement.
3. I have heard the learned Counsel appearing for the petitioners, the learned Public Prosecutor, and the learned Counsel for the respondents 3 and 4.
4. The learned counsel on either side submits that, with the intervention of relatives and well-wishers, the parties have resolved their disputes amicably. The respondents 3 and 4 have no subsisting grievance and do not wish to pursue the prosecution, and have no objection to the proceedings being quashed.
5. The learned Public Prosecutor, on instructions, submits that the Investigating Officer has reported that the parties have arrived at a genuine and bona fide settlement. The State has no objection to the Criminal Miscellaneous case being allowed.
6. The scope and ambit of the inherent powers of this Court to quash criminal proceedings on the ground of settlement between the parties have been CRL.MC NO. 3200 OF 2023 5 2025:KER:82599 authoritatively laid down by Hon'ble Supreme Court, in Gian Singh v. State of Punjab [(2012) 10 SCC 303], State of Madhya Pradesh v. Laxmi Narayan and Others [(2019) 5 SCC 688], Naushey Ali v. State of U.P. [(2025) 4 SCC 78], and in a host of judicial pronouncements. It is held that in cases where the offences are not grave or heinous, and where the parties have amicably settled the dispute, to secure the ends of justice, the High Court may invoke its inherent powers to quash the proceedings, particularly if continuation of the prosecution would serve no fruitful purpose.
7. On an overall consideration of the facts and circumstances of the present case, and the materials on record, I am satisfied that: the offences alleged are not heinous or of a serious nature; no public interest or element of societal concern is involved; the chances of conviction are remote in view of the settlement; and the continuation of the proceedings would merely burden CRL.MC NO. 3200 OF 2023 6 2025:KER:82599 the judicial process without advancing the cause of justice. Furthermore, the settlement would promote harmony between the parties and restore peace. Hence, this Court is persuaded to hold that this is a fit case to exercise its inherent jurisdiction. In the result, the Crl. M.C. is allowed. Accordingly, Annexure A3 Final Report in Crime No.14/CB/KLM&PTA/R/2020 of 2020 of the Crime Branch, Pathanamthitta and all further proceedings in C.C. No. 8/2023 on the file of the Judicial First-Class Magistrate Court, Ranny, as against the petitioners, are hereby quashed.
Sd/-
C.S.DIAS,JUDGE SCB/31.10.25.
CRL.MC NO. 3200 OF 2023 7 2025:KER:82599 APPENDIX OF CRL.MC 3200/2023 PETITIONER ANNEXURES Annexure A1 CERTIFIED COPY OF THE INITIAL FIR IN CRIME NO. 636 OF 2019 OF RANNI POLICE STATION DATED 06/05/2019 Annexure A2 CERTIFIED COPY OF THE CMP NO. 3720 OF 2019 ON THE FILE OF JUDICIAL FIRST-CLASS MAGISTRATE COURT RANNI DATED 02.04.2019 Annexure A3 THE CERTIFIED COPY OF THE FINAL REPORT IN CRIME NO. 14/CB/KLM&PTA/R/2020 CRIME BRANCH, OF PATHANAMTHITTA DISTRICT PENDING AS CC NO. 8 OF 2023 ON THE FILE OF THE JUDICIAL FIRST CLASS MAGISTRATE COURT, RANNY Annexure A4 A TRUE COPY OF THE NO DUE CERTIFICATE NO.
CNRB/2319/SHG/NDC/16-2022 ISSUED BY THE CANARA BANK RANNI BRANCH DATED 27.9.2022 Annexure A5 ORIGINAL COPY OF THE SETTLEMENT AFFIDAVIT SWORN BY THE 3RD RESPONDENT / DEFACTO COMPLAINANT DATED 27.02.2023 Annexure A6 ORIGINAL COPY OF THE SETTLEMENT AFFIDAVIT SWORN BY THE 4TH RESPONDENT / CW2 DATED 27.02.2023