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. 2896 OF 2023 1 2025:KER:82590
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. 2896 OF 2023
CRIME NO.15/CB/KLM&PTA/R//2020 OF CBCID, PATHANAMTHITTA,
Pathanamthitta
AGAINST THE ORDER/JUDGMENT DATED IN CC NO.9 OF 2023 OF
JUDICIAL MAGISTRATE OF FIRST CLASS ,RANNI
PETITIONERS/ACCUSED NO. 1 TO 5 :
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. 2896 OF 2023 2 2025:KER:82590
BY ADV SHRI.SREEHARI INDUKALADHARAN
RESPONDENTS/STATE AND DEACTO COMPLAINANT :
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 RESHMA
AGED 29 YEARS
W/O AJITH, RESIDING AT PAROOR MURUPPEL VEEDU, EDAKULAM
P.O, VADASSERRIKKARA VILLAGE, RANNI TALUK, PIN -
689672
4 USHA P.S
AGED 52 YEARS
W/O MANI, RESIDING AT USHAS, EDAKULAM P.O,
VADASERIKKARA VILLAGE, RANNI TALUK, PIN - 689672
BY ADV PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
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. 2896 OF 2023 3 2025:KER:82590
C.S.DIAS, J.
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CRL.MC NO. 2896 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.9/2023 on the file of the Court of the Judicial
First Class Magistrate, Ranny , which has arisen from
Crime No.15/CB/KLM&PTA/R/2020 of 2020 registered
by the CBCID Police Station, Pathananmthitta, 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
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and 4, who have executed Annexures A5 and A6
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
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settlement between the parties have been 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
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continuation of the proceedings would merely burden
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.15/CB/KLM&PTA/R/2020 of 2020 of the CBCID
Police Station and all further proceedings in C.C. No.
9/2023 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.
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PETITIONER ANNEXURES
Annexure A1 TRUE COPY OF THE INITIAL FIR IN CRIME NO.
641 OF 2019 OF RANNI POLICE STATION DATED
7/5/2019
Annexure A2 CERTIFIED COPY OF THE CMP NO. 3721 OF 2019
ON THE FILE OF JUDICIAL FIRST-CLASS
MAGISTRATE COURT RANNI DATED 02.04.2019
Annexure A3 CERTIFIED COPY OF THE FINAL REPORT IN CRIME
NO. 15/CB/KLM&PTA/R/2020 CRIME BRANCH, OF
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/17-2022 ISSUED BY THE
CANARA BANK RANNI BRANCH DATED 27.09.2022
Annexure A5 TRUE COPY OF THE SETTLEMENT AFFIDAVIT SWORN
BY THE 3RD RESPONDENT / DEFACTO COMPLAINANT
DATED 21.02.2023
Annexure A6 THE TRUE COPY OF THE SETTLEMENT AFFIDAVIT
SWORN BY THE 4TH RESPONDENT / CW2 DATED
21.02.2023
