Punjab-Haryana High Court
Preetinder Singh Bedi And Another vs State Of Punjab And Another on 11 March, 2022
CRM-M-7939-2021 (O&M) 1
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA
AT CHANDIGARH
(233) CRM-M-7939-2021 (O&M)
Date of Decision: 11.03.2022
Preetinder Singh Bedi and another --Petitioners
Versus
State of Punjab & another --Respondents
CORAM:- HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH BHARDWAJ
Present:- Mr. Nakul Sharma, Advocate
for the petitioners.
Ms. Sakshi Bakshi, AAG, Punjab.
Mr. Mandeep Singh Sachdev, Advocate
for respondent No.2.
***
RAJESH BHARDWAJ.J (Oral)
Matter has been taken up through video conferencing via Webex
facility in the light of the Pandemic Covid-19 situation and as per instructions.
Instant petition has been filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. praying
for quashing of FIR No.10, dated 21.12.2018, under Sections 406, 498-A, 420
of IPC, registered at Police Station NRI, Police Commissionerate Jalandhar,
District Jalandhar along with subsequent proceedings arising therefrom, on the
basis of compromise dated 29.11.2020 (Annexure P-2).
FIR in question was got registered by complainant-respondent
No.2 and the investigation commenced thereon. However, with the intervention
of respectables, finally the parties arrived at settlement and they resolved their
inter se dispute, which is apparent from compromise. On the basis of the
compromise, the petitioners are invoking the inherent power of this Court by
praying that continuation of these proceedings would be a futile exercise and an
abuse of process of the Court and thus, the FIR in question and all the
subsequent proceedings arising therefrom may be quashed in the interest of
justice.
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This Court vide orders dated 22.02.2021 and 10.12.2021 directed
the parties to appear before the Illaqa/Duty Magistrate for recording their
statements, as contended before the Court, and the Illaqa/Duty Magistrate was
also directed to send its report.
In pursuance of the same, learned Chief Judicial Magistrate (NRI
Court), Jalandhar sent its report dated 13.01.2022 to this Court. With the report
learned Chief Judicial Magistrate (NRI Court), Jalandhar has also annexed the
original statements of complainant-Jasleen Kohli; accused/petitioners namely,
Preet Inder Singh Bedi and Rajinder Kaur Bedi (statements of all three recorded
through video conferencing in view of order dated 10.12.2021) and Inspector
Gurwinder Kaur recorded on 12.01.2022. On the basis of the statements,
learned Chief Judicial Magistrate (NRI Court), Jalandhar has concluded in the
report that the parties have entered into a compromise voluntarily, without any
undue influence, threat or coercion and out of their free will and none of the
accused was declared proclaimed offender in this case. It is also submitted in the
report that initially the FIR was registered against three accused namely, Preet
Inder Singh Bedi, Rajinder Kaur Bedi and Jaswinder Singh Bedi and accused
Jaswinder Singh Bedi expired later on.
I have heard learned counsel for the parties, perused the record and
the report sent by learned Chief Judicial Magistrate (NRI Court), Jalandhar.
A bare perusal of statutory provision of the 482 Cr.P.C. would
show that the High Court may make such orders, as may be necessary to give
effect to any order under this Code or to prevent abuse of the process of any
Court or otherwise to secure the ends of justice. Section 320 Cr.P.C. is equally
relevant for consideration, which prescribes the procedure for compounding of
the offences under the Indian Penal Code.
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Keeping in view the nature of offences allegedly committed
and the fact that both the parties have amicably settled their dispute, the
continuation of criminal prosecution would be a futile exercise. The
Hon'ble Supreme Court in a number of cases including Narinder Singh and
others Versus State of Punjab and another, 2014 (6) SCC 466; B.S.Joshi
and others vs State of Haryana and another (2003) 4 Supreme Court
Cases 675 followed by this Court in Full Bench case of Kulwinder Singh
and others Vs. State of Punjab and another, 2007(3) RCR 1052 have
dealt with the proposition involved in the present case and settled the law.
Thereafter, Hon'ble Supreme Court in Gian Singh vs State of
Punjab and another (2012) 10 Supreme Court Cases 303 further dealt with
the issue and the earlier law settled by the Supreme Court for quashing of
the FIR in State of Haryana vs Bhajan Lal, 1992 Supp (1) SCC 335. Para 61
of the judgment reads as under:-
"61. 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 what cases power to quash the
criminal proceeding or complaint or F.I.R may be exercised
where the offender and victim have settled their dispute would
depend on the facts and circumstances of each case and no
category can be prescribed. However, before exercise of such
power, the High Court must have due regard to the nature and
gravity of the crime. Heinous and serious offences of mental
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depravity or offences like murder, rape, dacoity, etc. cannot be
fittingly quashed even though the victim or victim's family and
the offender have settled the dispute. Such offences are not
private in nature and have serious impact on society. Similarly,
any compromise between the victim and offender in relation to
the offences under special statutes like Prevention of
Corruption Act or the offences committed by public servants
while working in that capacity, etc; cannot provide for any
basis for quashing criminal proceedings involving such
offences. But the criminal cases having overwhelmingly and
pre-dominatingly civil flavour stand on a different footing for
the purposes of quashing, particularly the offences arising
from commercial, financial, mercantile, civil, partnership or
such like transactions or the offences arising out of matrimony
relating to dowry, etc. or the family disputes where the wrong
is basically private or personal in nature and the parties have
resolved their entire dispute. In this category of cases, the High
Court may quash criminal proceedings if in its view, because
of the compromise between the offender and the victim, the
possibility of conviction is remote and bleak and continuation
of the criminal case would put the accused to great oppression
and prejudice and extreme injustice would be caused to him by
not quashing the criminal case despite full and complete
settlement and compromise with the victim. In other words, the
High Court must consider whether it would be unfair or
contrary to the interest of justice to continue with the criminal
proceeding or continuation of the criminal proceeding would
tantamount to abuse of process of law despite settlement and
compromise between the victim and the wrongdoer and
whether to secure the ends of justice, it is appropriate that
criminal case is put to an end and if the answer to the above
question(s) is in the affirmative, the High Court shall be well
within its jurisdiction to quash the criminal proceeding."
Applying the law settled by Hon'ble Supreme Court in plethora
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of judgments and this High Court, it is apparent that when the parties have
entered into a compromise, then continuation of the proceedings would be
merely an abuse of process of the Court and by allowing and accepting the
prayer of the petitioners by quashing the FIR would be securing the ends of
justice, which is primarily the object of the legislature enacting under
Section 482 Cr.P.C.
As a result, this Court finds that the case in hand squarely falls
within the ambit and parameters settled by judicial precedents and hence,
FIR No.10, dated 21.12.2018, under Sections 406, 498-A, 420 of IPC, registered
at Police Station NRI, Police Commissionerate Jalandhar, District Jalandhar and
all the subsequent proceedings arising therefrom are quashed qua the
petitioners on the basis of compromise. Needless to say that the parties shall
remain bound by the terms and conditions of the compromise and their
statements recorded before the Court below.
Petition stands allowed.
(RAJESH BHARDWAJ)
11.03.2022 JUDGE
m.sharma
Whether speaking/reasoned: Yes/No
Whether Reportable: Yes/No
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