The High Court
Case Details
CRM-M No.726 of 2025 -1- 350 THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Jai Pal and another CRM-M No.726 of 2025 Date of Decision: 07.05.2025 ..... Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and another ..... Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH BHARDWAJ *** Present: Mr. Japjit Singh Johal, Advocate for the petitioners. Mr. Raj Karan Singh, Asstt. A.G., Punjab.
Legal Reasoning
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. 10. 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 RITTU 2025.05.09 11:12 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M No.726 of 2025 -5- 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 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 RITTU 2025.05.09 11:12 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M No.726 of 2025 -6- 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.” 11. Although present case pertains to an offence under Section 326 IPC yet good sense has prevailed upon the parties and they have settled the dispute and this Court accepts the settlement just to enhance the spirit of brotherhood, peace and harmony between the parties. 12. 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, 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 case would be securing the ends of justice, which is primarily the object of the legislature enacting under Section 528 of B.N.S.S. 13. 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.72, dated 07.04.2024 (Annexure P-1), under Sections 323, 324, 326, 307, 452, 34 of IPC, registered at Police Station Model Town, District Hoshiarpur along with all subsequent proceedings arising therefrom including the final report under Section 173 Cr.P.C., dated 08.09.2024 presented against the petitioners under Sections 323, 324, RITTU 2025.05.09 11:12 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M No.726 of 2025 -7- 325, 326, 452, 34 IPC are hereby quashed qua the petitioners on the basis of compromise/settlement agreement dated 14.12.2024 (Annexure P-3). 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. 14. Petition stands allowed. 07.05.2025 rittu Whether speaking/reasoned Whether reportable (RAJESH BHARDWAJ) JUDGE Yes/No Yes/No : : RITTU 2025.05.09 11:12 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document
Arguments
Mr. Nitin Sachdeva, Advocate for respondent No.2. *** RAJESH BHARDWAJ, J. (ORAL) 1. Present petition has been filed praying for quashing of FIR No.72, dated 07.04.2024 (Annexure P-1), under Sections 323, 324, 326, 307, 452, 34 of IPC, registered at Police Station Model Town, District Hoshiarpur along with all subsequent proceedings arising therefrom including the final report under Section 173 Cr.P.C., dated 08.09.2024 presented against the petitioners under Sections 323, 324, 325, 326, 452, 34 IPC, on the basis of compromise/settlement agreement dated 14.12.2024 (Annexure P-3). RITTU 2025.05.09 11:12 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M No.726 of 2025 -2- 2. FIR in question was filed by complainant-respondent No.2 and the trial started 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-3. 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 along with all subsequent proceedings arising therefrom may be quashed in the interest of justice. 3. This Court vide order dated 10.01.2025 directed the parties to 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. 4. In pursuance to the same, learned Judicial Magistrate Ist Class, Hoshiarpur has sent the report dated 06.03.2025 to this Court. With the report, he has annexed the original statement of complainant/respondent No.2, namely, Vijay Kumar and original separate statements of petitioner No.1 & 2-accused, namely, Jai Pal and Bunty, recorded on 07.02.2025. He has also annexed the original statement of ASI Jasvir Singh recorded on 15.02.2025. On the basis of the statements, learned Judicial Magistrate Ist Class, Hoshiarpur has concluded in the report that the compromise effected between the parties seems to be genuine, voluntary and without any coercion or undue influence. It has further been mentioned that as per the statement of ASI Jasvir Singh, RITTU 2025.05.09 11:12 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M No.726 of 2025 -3- there are total four accused in the present FIR, Jai Pal, Bunty, Sikander Pal and Aman Kumar @ Naman Kumar. However later on Accused, namely, Sikander Pal and Aman Kumar @ Naman Kumar were declared innocent during the investigation and they were kept in column No.2 of the challan. Hence the challan was filed against accused, Jai Pal and Bunty, i.e. the petitioners. It has further been mentioned that the challan was presented in the Court on 19.09.2024 against the accused-petitioners. It has further been mentioned that no other case has been registered against the accused persons and none of the accused has been declared as proclaimed person and the trial is pending at the stage of prosecution evidence against the accused person. 5. Status report dated 04.05.2025 by way of an affidavit of Dev Dutt Sharma, PPS, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sub Division City, District Hoshiarpur on behalf of respondent No.1 has been filed by the learned State counsel today in the Court and the same is taken on record. 6. Learned State counsel has submitted that though there are 04 accused in the present FIR, however after the investigation, 02 of the accused were found innocent and hence the challan has been presented only against the present petitioners. 7. I have heard learned counsel for the parties, perused the record and the report sent by the learned Judicial Magistrate Ist Class, Hoshiarpur. 8. A bare perusal of statutory provision of the 528 of B.N.S.S. would show that the High Court may make such orders, as may be RITTU 2025.05.09 11:12 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document CRM-M No.726 of 2025 -4- 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 359 B.N.S.S. is equally relevant for consideration, which prescribes the procedure for compounding of the offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. 9. 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