Sukhwinder Singh And Others vs State Of Punjab And Others
2023 Latest Caselaw 5052 P&H

                                                   Neutral Citation No:=2023:PHHC:057526




CRM-M-3723-2023                         -1-                  2023:PHHC:057526

280         IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
                     AT CHANDIGARH

                                              CRM-M-3723-2023
                                              Date of Decision: 24.04.2023

Sukhwinder Singh and others                          ..... Petitioners

                   Versus

State of Punjab and others                           .......Respondents

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH BHARDWAJ

Present:    Mr.Vinod Kumar, Advocate for
            Mr. Rishu Garg, Advocate, for the petitioners.
            Mr. Karunesh Kaushal, Assistant Advocate General, Punjab.
            Ms. Ekta Garg, Advocate, for respondents No.2 to 6.

Rajesh Bhardwaj, J. (ORAL)

Instant petition has been filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C.

praying for quashing of FIR No.91 dated 05.10.2018 registered under

Sections 458, 323, 148, 149 IPC (Section 459, 325 IPC added lateron), at

Police Station Mehal Kalan, District Barnala alongwith all the subsequent

proceedings arising therefrom on the basis of compromise dated 10.11.2022

(Annexure P-2).

FIR in question was lodged 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 Deed, annexed as

Annexure P-2. On the basis of the compromise, the petitioners are 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.

This Court vide order dated 23.01.2023 directed the parties to

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appear before the trial Court/Illaqa Magistrate for recording their

statements, as contended before the Court, and the trial Court/Illaqa

Magistrate was also directed to send its report.

In pursuance to the same, learned Judicial Magistrate Ist Class,

Barnala has sent its report dated 02.03.2023. With the report, he has also

annexed the original joint statements of respondent No.2-complainant

Kashmir Singh (through his special power of attorney holder-wife Kuldeep

Kaur) respondent No.3 Balvir Singh, respondent No.4 Harpal Singh,

respondent No.5 Amritpal Singh and respondent No.6 Paramjit Kaur and

the petitioners, namely, Sukhwinder Singh, Satnam Singh, Manjit Singh,

Jaspreet Singh, Davinder Singh, Harpreet Singh, Rachpal Singh, Hardeep

Singh, Kirtan Singh, Hansa Singh, Lakhwinder Singh @ Lakhvir Singh,

Dharampreet Singh and Gurlal Singh @ Arshi Singh recorded on

14.02.2023 and statement of ASI Gurmail Singh recorded on 22.02.2023.

On the basis of the statements, learned Judicial Magistrate Ist Class, Barnala

has concluded in its report that the parties have voluntarily entered into

compromise and the same is correct and genuine and is not the result of any

fraud or misrepresentation and is the result of free will of the parties. It is

further mentioned in the report that there is no other accused in the present

case except the present petitioners. It is further mentioned therein that

neither any of the accused has been declared as proclaimed offender nor

they are involved in any other criminal case.

I have heard learned counsel for the parties, perused the record

and the report sent by learned Judicial Magistrate Ist Class, Barnala.

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

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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.

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

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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 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 a 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

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within its jurisdiction to quash the criminal proceeding."

Applying the law settled by Hon'ble Supreme Court in plethora

of judgments and this High Court it is apparent that when the parties have

entered into a compromise, in the nature of cases as prescribed 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.

In the facts and circumstances, this Court finds that the case in

hand squarely falls within the ambit and parameters settled by judicial

precedents and hence, FIR No.91 dated 05.10.2018 registered under

Sections 458, 323, 148, 149 IPC (Section 459, 325 IPC added lateron), at

Police Station Mehal Kalan, District Barnala alongwith subsequent

proceedings arising therefrom are hereby quashed qua the petitioners, on the

basis of compromise (Annexure P-2).

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)
24.04.2023                                          JUDGE
sharmila            Whether Speaking/Reasoned   :     Yes/No
                    Whether Reportable          :     Yes/No




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