The court has wide power to quash criminal proceedings, even in non-compoundable offences, to prevent abuse of the process of law and to secure the ends of justice.

DAYA CHAUDHARY, J.

1. The present petition has been filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. for quashing of FIR No.04 dated 30.01.2015 registered under Sections 354-D and 506 of Indian Penal Code (for short 'IPC') as well as later on added Section 354 IPC and Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 at Police Station Dhar Kalan, District Pathankot on the basis of compromise (Annexure P-3) arrived at between the parties.

2. The aforesaid FIR was registered on the basis of complaint made by the complainant, who is father of respondent No.2. As per allegations levelled in the FIR, respondent No.2 while going to school was followed by accused-Parveen Kumar. She also told this incident to her parents. One day, said Parveen Kumar asked respondent No.2 to sit on his motorcycle so that she could be left in the School. The accused also asked respondent No.2 to talk to him on phone, failing which, he will kidnap her younger sister-Pinda. During pendency of the proceedings, with the intervention of respectables and relatives, the parties have sorted out their dispute, as both the parties are residents of same locality. The petitioner filed Criminal Misc. No. M-13960 of 2015 for grant of anticipatory bail, which was allowed vide order dated 17.07.2015, which is reproduced as under: -

"This is a petition under Section 438 Cr.P.C. praying for release of the petitioner on bail in terms thereof in a case registered vide FIR No.4 dated 30.1.2015 under Sections 354-D, 506 IPC (Sections 354 IPC and 8 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 added later on), at Police Station Dhar Kalan, District Pathankot.

Learned counsel for the petitioner had contended before this Court that the petitioner was accused of having committed an offence under Sections 354D and 506 IPC which are bailable and he was never subjected to arrest. He also contended that investigation was completed and challan submitted and at that time legal opinion surfaced that Section 354 IPC and Section 8 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offices Act, 2012 ought to be included, as a result of which he now apprehends his arrest. He further contended that a perusal of the FIR would not constitute an offence under Sections 354 IPC and 8 of the aforesaid Act and the allegations if accepted would imply stalking the complainant without any physical touch.

Noticing this, this Court on 1.5.2015 had granted the interim protection to the petitioner subject to his complying with the provisions of Section 438(2) Cr.P.C., pursuant to which he has since joined the investigation, which fact is not controverted by the learned counsel for the State on instructions from ASI Babu Ram.

Having regard to the aforesaid, the interim directions dated 1.5.2015 are hereby made absolute subject to the condition that the petitioner continues to comply with the provisions of Section 438(2) Cr.P.C.

Petition stands allowed."

3. Notice of motion was issued in the case on 23.07.2015 and thereafter, the case came up for hearing on 21.12.2015 and following order was passed: -

"This is a petition filed under Section 482 Cr.P.C. for quashing of FIR No. 04 dated 30.01.2015, under Sections 354-D, 506 IPC (later on added Section 354 IPC and Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012), registered at Police Station, Dhar Kalan, District Pathankot.

Mr. Munish Puri, Advocate has entered appearance on behalf of respondent No.2 and states that compromise has been effected.

Learned counsel for the petitioner undertakes to supply a copy of the petition to learned counsel for respondent No.2. during the course of the day.

Even though offences are serious, yet since the parties have compromised the matter, let the parties record their statements with regard to compromise at the first instance. Let them appear before the Illaqa Magistrate/Chief Judicial Magistrate on 27.01.2016 or any other date convenient to the Magistrate for recording their statements with regard