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2022 Supreme(P&H) 345

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH
Anoop Chitkara, J.
Shashi Shekhar Alias Tinu & Ors. – Appellants
Versus
State Of Haryana & Ors. – Respondents
CRM-M-13104-2022
Decided On : 14-07-2022

Advocates Appeared:
Mr. Rahul Jain, Advocate, for the Appellant; Mr. Manish Bansal, DAG, Haryana, for the Respondent

Headnote:

Compromise - Quashing of FIR - 148/149/307/323/324/506 IPC - The judgment discusses the nature of compromise, the non-compoundable nature of section 307 IPC, and the principles for quashing criminal proceedings under section 482 of the CrPC. The court refers to various precedents to establish the principles for accepting or rejecting a compromise and quashing criminal proceedings.

Fact of the Case:

The petitioners sought quashing of the FIR and all consequential proceedings based on a compromise with the aggrieved person. The accused and the aggrieved person compromised the matter, but the State's counsel opposed the compromise due to the heinous nature of the offence. The court analyzed the nature of the compromise and the non-compoundable nature of section 307 IPC.

Finding of the Court:

The court rejected the compromise, citing the non-compoundable nature of section 307 IPC and the lack of sufficient reasons for settlement. The court emphasized the need to prevent abuse of the process of law and considered the societal impact of the offences. The court dismissed the petition but allowed the parties to enter into a fresh compromise and file a new petition for quashing.

Issues: The issues revolved around the acceptance of the compromise, the non-compoundable nature of section 307 IPC, and the principles for quashing criminal proceedings under section 482 of the CrPC.

Ratio Decidendi: The court's decision was influenced by the non-compoundable nature of section 307 IPC, the societal impact of the offences, and the need to prevent abuse of the process of law. The court referred to various precedents to establish the principles for accepting or rejecting a compromise and quashing criminal proceedings.

Final Decision: The petition was dismissed, but the parties were allowed to enter into a fresh compromise and file a new petition for quashing, which would be decided on its merits without being influenced by the dismissal of the present petition.

JUDGMENT

Anoop Chitkara, J.

FIR No.

Dated

Police Station

Sections

300

25.09.2021

Mahesh Nagar, District Ambala

148/149/307/323/324/506 IPC

1. The petitioners, arraigned as accused in the above captioned FIR, have come up before this Court under Section 482 CrPC for quashing of the FIR and all consequential proceedings based on a compromise with the aggrieved person.

2. During the pendency of the petition, the accused and the aggrieved person have compromised the matter, and its copy is annexed with this petition as Annexure P-2.

3. After that, the petitioners came up before this Court to quash the FIR, and in the quashing petition, the aggrieved person has been impleaded as respondent.

4. On 31-03-2022, the aggrieved person Rahul (R-2) stated before the Ld. JMIC Ambala that there would be no objection if the court quashes this FIR and consequent proceedings. As per the concerned court's report dated 01-04-2022, the parties consented to the quashing of FIR and consequent proceedings without any threat or coercion.

ANALYSIS & REASONING:

5. The State's counsel has severely opposed this compromise and seeks dismissal of the petition because of the heinous nature of the offence.

6. In the present case, the offences under section 307 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) is not compoundable under Section 320 of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC). However, in the facts and circumstances peculiar to this case, the parties have not mentioned any reason which led to settlement of dispute, how were their relations on the date of affidavit and statement, what social objective would by disrupting the motion of criminal prosecution. Thus, based on the nature of compromise papers and the contents of statement of the victim, where he stated that with the intervention of the people of locality, the mater was compromised, is not sufficient to accept the compromise.

7. A perusal of the reasons for settlement as mentioned in the compromise deed, Annexure P-2, are also formal, as if it was drafted by some deed writer in a routine.

8. In Mahesh Chand v State of Rajasthan, 1990 SCC 781, Hon'ble Supreme Court holds as under:

      [2]. The accused were acquitted by the trial court, but they were convicted by the High Court for the offence under section 307 Indian Penal Code This offence is not compoundable under law. The parties, however. want to treat it a special case, in view of the peculiar circumstances of the case. It is said and indeed not disputed that one of the accused is a lawyer practising in the lower court. There was a counter case arising out of the same transaction. It is said that this case has already been compromised. The decision of this Court in Suresh Babu v. State of Andhra Pradesh, 1987(2) JT 361, has been also referred to in support of the plea for permission to compound the offence.

      9. In DimpeyGujraj v Union Territory, (2013) 11 SCC 497, Supreme Court holds,

          [5]. In light of the above observations of this court in Gian Singh v. State of Punjab and another, 2012(4) R.C.R.(Criminal) 543 : 2012(4) Recent Apex Judgments (R.A.J.) 549 : 2012(5) CTC 526 (SC) we feel that this is a case where the continuation of criminal proceedings would tantamount to abuse of process of law because the alleged offences are not heinous offences showing extreme depravity nor are they against the society. They are offences of a personal nature and burying them would bring about peace and amity between the two sides. In the circumstances of the case, FIR No. 163 dated 26/10/2006 registered under Section 147, 148, 149, 323, 307, 452 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code at Police Station Sector 3, Chandigarh and all consequential proceedings arising therefrom including the final report presented under Section 173 of the Code and charges framed by the trial court are hereby quashed.

          10. In Narinder Singh v. State of Punjab, 2014 (6) SCC 466, a two-member bench of Hon'ble Supreme Court holds,

              [24]. Thus, we find that in certain circumstances, this Court has approved the quashing of proc

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