Punjab-Haryana High Court
Inderjeet Singh And Ors vs State Of Punjab And Ors on 26 September, 2022
CRM-M-20650 of 2019 -1-
IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
AT CHANDIGARH
Sr. No.251-A CRM-M-20650 of 2019
Date of Decision: September 26, 2022
Inderjeet Singh and others ...Petitioners
Versus
State of Punjab and others ...Respondents
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AMAN CHAUDHARY
Present:- None.
AMAN CHAUDHARY, J.(Oral)
Bar is abstaining from work today.
Present petition has been filed for quashing of FIR No.101,
dated 22.08.2016, under Sections 323, 325, 506, 148 and 149 IPC,
registered at Police Station Khamanon, District Fatehgarh Sahib
(Annexure P-1) and all other consequential proceedings arising therefrom
on the basis of the compromise dated 28.03.2019 (Annexure P-2).
Notice of motion was issued on 06.05.2019 and both the
parties were directed to appear before the trial Court for recording their
statements in the context of genuineness of the compromise. The trial
Court was also directed to submit its report with regard to genuineness of
the compromise.
Thereafter on 27.05.2019, it was submitted by learned
counsel for the petitioners that the complainant was on election duty,
therefore, he could not appear before the Sub Divisional Judicial
Magistrate and he prayed for another opportunity.
Thereafter, statement of complainant has also been recorded
by the trial Court and report has been submitted.
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Pursuant to the aforesaid orders, report has been received
from the Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Khamanon. A perusal of the
said report reveals that statements of the concerned persons have been
recorded in the present case, who have stated that the matter has been
settled between the parties and they have no objection in case the FIR in
question is quashed and the compromise effected between them is
genuine, without any undue influence and coercion. It is stated in the
report that there are five accused. None of the accused has been declared
as proclaimed offender and none of them is involved in any other FIR.
I have gone through the case file.
After perusing the report submitted by the trial Court, this
Court finds that the matter has been amicably settled between the
petitioner(s) and the complainant(s). Since the matter has been settled and
the parties have decided to live in peace, this Court is of the view that in
order to secure the ends of justice, the criminal proceedings deserve to be
quashed.
As per the Full Bench judgment of this Court in "Kulwinder
Singh and others Vs State of Punjab", 2007 (3) RCR (Criminal) 1052,
it is held that High Court has power under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to allow
the compounding of non-compoundable offence and quash the
prosecution where the High Court is of the view that the same was
required to prevent the abuse of the process of law or otherwise to secure
the ends of justice. This power of quashing is not confined to matrimonial
disputes alone.
Hon'ble the Apex Court in the case of "Gian Singh Vs. State
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of Punjab and another", 2012 (4) RCR (Criminal) 543, had also
observed that in order to secure the ends of justice or to prevent the abuse
of process of Court, inherent power can be used by this Court to quash
criminal proceedings in which a compromise has been effected. The
relevant portion of para 57 of the said judgment is reproduced
hereinbelow:-
"57. 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. XXX---XXX"
In view of the above, the petition is allowed and FIR No.101,
dated 22.08.2016, under Sections 323, 325, 506, 148 and 149 IPC,
registered at Police Station Khamanon, District Fatehgarh Sahib
(Annexure P-1) and all other consequential proceedings arising therefrom
on the basis of the compromise dated 28.03.2019 (Annexure P-2), and all
other consequential proceedings arising therefrom, are quashed qua the
petitioners.
September 26, 2022 (AMAN CHAUDHARY)
rimpal JUDGE
Whether reasoned/speaking: Yes/No
Whether reportable: Yes/No
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