Order on Board

Per Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice

1. This petition under Section 528 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (in short B.N.S.S.) has been preferred by the petitioners/applicants, who are in-laws and husband of the Respondent No. 2/ complainant, with the following prayer:-

“It is, therefore, prayed that this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to quash the first information report bearing Crime No. 294/2025 registered at Police Station Shivrinarayan, District Janjgir-Champa (C.G.) for the offence punishable under section 85, 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 on 30.07.2025, the entire charge-sheet including final report No. 259/2025 for the offence punishable under Section 85, 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and order dated 21.08.2025 passed by the learned Judicial Magistrate First Class, Pamgarh, District -Janjgir-Champa (C.G.) that sufficient grounds are available for taking cognizance against the applicants for the offence punishable under Section 85, 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and registration of the case as Criminal Case No. 938/2025 and the subsequent proceedings pending before the learned Trial Court, in the interest of justice.”

2. The brief facts of the case are that the complainant/ Respondent No. 2, Anjali Sahu, was married to Jai Kumar Sahu (Petitioner No. 3) on 21.02.2025 and started residing at her matrimonial home in Balco Nagar, Korba. Shortly after the marriage, she was allegedly subjected to physical and mental cruelty by her husband, mother-in-law Savitri Bai (Petitioner No. 1), and sister-in-law Kamleshvari Sahu (Petitioner No. 2) over trivial issues and for not bringing a motorcycle in dowry, along with further demand of Rs. 10,00,000 from her parental home. It is alleged that she was assaulted, threatened, and even attacked with a knife by her husband, causing injuries, and was later confined and subjected to further harassment and attempts to strangulate her. Upon her complaint, Crime No. 294/2025 was registered under Section 85 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and after investigation, charge-sheet No. 259/2025 was filed before the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Pamgarh, who took cognizance and granted bail to the accused. Earlier, a petition filed by two of the accused was dismissed as withdrawn with liberty to file afresh after impleading the husband, leading to the present petition challenging the FIR, charge-sheet, and cognizance order.

3. During the pendency of the said criminal case, this Court vide its order dated 28.02.2026 directed the parties explore the possibility to settle their dispute by way of mediation and enter into the compromise. Thereafter, on 09.03.2026, they make their presence before the mediation center and have settled the dispute on the terms and conditions of compromise.

4. Learned counsel for the State, in turn, submits that the State has no objection in case if the matter is disposed of by quashing the FIR (Crime No.294/2025) registered at Police Station- Shivrinarayan, Distt.- Janjgir Champa (C.G.) along with the entire charge-sheet including final report No. 259/2025 and order dated 21.08.2025 passed by the learned Judicial Magistrate First Class, Pamgarh, Distt.- Janjgir Champa and registration of the case as Criminal Case No. 938/2025 and the subsequent proceeding pending before the learned trial Court against the petitioners, as the parties have already entered into compromise.

5. The conditions of compromise, as per settlement agreement between the parties dated 09.03.2026, is necessary to reproduce here for consideration which is as below:-

“1. The marriage between Jaikumar Sahu and Anjali Sahu held on 21/02/2025 will be dissolved by making application under Section 13-B of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 before appropriate Jurisdictional Court. The application will be made within a period of one month from today. All the articles gifted to the Bride Anjali Sahu, by her parents at the time of marr