Amarinder Singh @ Sonu & Anr. v. State of Punjab & Ors.

Mr. Vishal Munjal, Additional Advocate General, Punjab. Mr. Bikramjit Arora, Advocate for respondents no.2 and 3. **** DAYA CHAUDHARY, J. The present petition under Section 482 Cr.P.C. has been filed by the petitioners, namely, Amarinder Singh @ Sonu and Sohan Singh for quashing of FIR No. 300 dated 30.11.2009 registered under Sections 498- A IPC at Police Station Tarn Taran, District Tarn Taran, on the basis of compromise (Annexure P-2). Notice of motion was issued on 15.11.2010. Learned counsel for the petitioners contends that the matter has been compromised between the parties and as per compromise, an amount of Rs.3,50,000/- was to be paid in lump sum as permanent alimony with regard to present, past and future maintenance to Navneet Kaur @ Parneet Kaur (respondent No.3), daughter of the complainant. Learned Crl. Misc. No. M-33425 of 2010 (2) counsel further contends that out of Rs. 3,50,000/-, one draft amounting to Rs. 1,00,000/- dated 11.8.2008 in favour of Navneet Kaur has already been handed over to her and the same has been encashed by her. Learned counsel also contends that as per directions issued by this Court, other draft amounting to Rs.1,50,000/- dated 22.7.2010 in favour of Navneet Kaur has also been handed over to the Investigating Officer. He further submits that remaining amount of Rs.1,00,000/- by way of demand draft has also been handed over to the complainant in Court today, who has handed over the same to Navneet Kaur @ Parneet Kaur, who is also present in Court and the same has duly been received by her. Learned counsel also brought to the notice of this Court that in terms of compromise, petition under Section 13-B of Hindu Marriage Act for mutual divorce has also been filed. Complainant as well as his daughter are present in Court, who have been identified by their counsel. On the asking of the Court, complainant as well as his daughter Navneet Kaur @ Parneet Kaur has stated that the matter has been compromised with the petitioners and they have no objection in quashing of the FIR. After hearing the learned counsel for the parties, I am of the considered view that continuation of impugned criminal proceedings between the parties would be an exercise in futility. The complainant himself does not want to pursue these proceedings and it shall be merely a formality and sheer wastage of precious time of the Court as complainant would not support the case of prosecution in view of compromise between the parties. It would be in the interest of the parties as well as in the large interest of the society, peace and harmony and in order to save both the families from avoidable litigation that the compromise arrived at between them is accepted by this Court. It has been observed by Hon'ble the Apex Court in Mrs. Crl. Misc. No. M-33425 of 2010 (3) Shakuntala Sawhney v. Mrs. Kaushalya Sawhney (1980)1 SCC 63 that “the finest Hour of Justice arrives propitiously when parties, despite falling apart, bury the hatchet and weave a sense of fellowship of reunion.” The power to do complete justice is the very essence of every judicial justice dispensation system. It cannot be diluted by distorted perceptions and is not a slave to anything, except to the caution and circumspection, the standards of which the Court sets before it, in exercise of such plenary and unfettered power inherently vested in it while donning the cloak of compassion to achieve the ends of justice. Relying on the views adopted by the Hon'ble Supreme Court, the Five Judges Bench of this Court also observed in Kulwinder Singh v. State of Punjab 2007(3) R.C.R. (Cri) 1052 that compounding of offence which are not compoundable under Section 320(9) Cr.P.C., offence non-compoundable but parties entering into compromise, High Court has the power under Section 482 Cr.P.C. to allow the compounding of non-compoundable offences and quash the prosecution where the High Court felt that the same was required to prevent the abuse of the process of Court or to otherwise secure the ends of justice. While dealing with issue of quashing of FIR on the basis of compromise a Bench consisting of Five Hon'ble Judges of this Court in Kulwinder Singh's case (supra) while approving minority view in Dharambir v. State of Haryana 2005 (3) RCR (Criminal) 426: 2005(2) Apex Criminal 424: 2005 (2) Law Herald 723 (P&H) (FB), opined as under:- “ To conclude, it can safely be said that there can never be any hard and fast category which can be prescribed to enable the Court to exercise its power under Section 482, of the Cr.P.C. The only principle that can be laid down is the one which has been incorporated in the Section itself, i.e, “to prevent abuse of the process of any Court” or “ to secure the ends of justice”. Crl. Misc. No. M-33425 of 2010 (4) No embargo, be in the shape of section 320 (9) Cr.P.C. or any other such curtailment, can whittle down the power under Section 438 Cr.P.C. The compromise, in a modern society, is the sine qua non of harmony and orderly behaviour. It is the soul of justice and if the power under Section 482 Cr.P.C. is used to enhance such a compromise which, in turn, enhances the social amity and reduces friction, then it truly is “finest hour of justice.” Disputes which have their genesis in a matrimonial discord, landlord-tenant matters, commercial transactions and other such matters can safely be dealt with by the Court by exercising its powers under Section 482 Cr.P.C. in the event of a compromise, but this is not to say that the power is limited to such cases. There can never be any such rigid rule to prescribe the exercise of such power, especially in the absence of any premonitions to forecast and predict eventualities which the cause of justice may throw up during the course of a litigation. The only inevitable conclusion from the above discussion is that there is no statutory bar under the Cr.P.C. which can affect the inherent power ofd this Court under Section 482. Further, the same cannot be limited to matrimonial cases alone and the Court has the wide power to quash the proceedings even in non-compoundable offences notwithstanding the bar under Section 320 Cr.P.C., in order to prevent the abuse of law and to secure the ends of justice. The power under Section 482 Cr.P.C. is to be exercise Ex- Debitia Justitia to prevent an abuse of process of Court. There can neither be an exhaustive list nor the defined parameters to enable a High Court to invoke or exercise its inherent powers. It will always depend upon the facts and circumstances of each case. The power under Section 482 Cr.P.C. has no limits. However, the High Court will exercise it sparingly and with Crl. Misc. No. M-33425 of 2010 (5) utmost care and caution. The exercise of power has to be with circumspection and restraint. The Court is vital and an extra-ordinary effective instrument to maintain and control social order. The Courts play role of paramount importance in achieving peace, harmony and ever- lasting congeniality in society. Resolution of a dispute by way of a compromise between two warring groups, therefore, should attract the immediate and prompt attention of a Court which should endeavour to give full effect to the same unless such compromise is abhorrent to lawful composition of the society or would promote savagery. Compromise in modern society is the sine qua non of harmony and orderly behaviour. As observed by Krishna Iyer J., the finest hour of justice arrives propitiously when parties despite falling apart, bury the hatchet and weave a sense of fellowship of reunion. Inherent power of the Court under Section 482 Cr.P.C. is not limited to matrimonial cases alone. The Court has wide powers to quash the proceedings even in non- compoundable offences in order to prevent abuse of process of law and to secure ends of justice, notwithstanding bar under Section 320 Cr.P.C. Exercise of power in a given situation will depend on facts of each case. The duty of the Court is not only to decide a list between the parties after a protracted litigation but it is a vital and extra-ordinary instrument to maintain and control social order. Resolution of dispute by way of compromise between two warring groups should be encouraged unless such compromise is abhorrent to lawful composition of society or would promote savagery, as held in Kulwinder Singh's case (supra). Since the matter has been compromised between the parties and the complainant and his daughter have no objection in quashing of the FIR and the fact that both the parties undertook before this Court to abide by all the terms and conditions of the compromise already effected between them, the present petition is allowed and impugned criminal Crl. Misc. No. M-33425 of 2010 (6) proceedings arising out of FIR No. 300 dated 30.11.2009 registered under Sections 498-A IPC at Police Station Tarn Taran, District Tarn Taran as well as all subsequent proceedings arising therefrom are quashed. December 21, 2010 (DAYA CHAUDHARY) JUDGE Note:-Whether this case is to be referred to the Reporter .......Yes/No