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
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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
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
