( 1 ) INVOKING the inherent jurisdiction of this Court under S. 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (in short 'the Code') the husband-petitioner has assailed the order dated 18-12-97 passed by the learned Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Anuppur in Criminal Case No. 493/96 whereby he has refused to grant permission for compounding of the offence punishable under S. 498-A of the Indian Penal Code (in short 'the IPC' ).

( 2 ) THE essential facts giving rise to the present petition are that on the basis of an FIR lodged by the wife of the petitioner the criminal law was set in motion which ultimately gave rise to Criminal Case No. 493/96 for an offence punishable under S. 498-A of IPC in the Court of Judicial Magistrate, First Class Anuppur. After filing of the charge-sheet in the Court, the petitioner and his wife reached an amicable settlement and the misunderstanding between them came to end. They started leading a normal conjugal life. Because of this changed scenario, the informant-wife filed an application on 18-12-97 for grant of permission to compound the offence. The learned trial Magistrate considered the application on the same day and by the impugned ord