Serious offenses under relevant statutes cannot be quashed even with settlement; timely resolution mandated.

ORDER

Dated this the 26^th day of February, 2026 The accused in S.C.No.526/2023 on the file of the First Additional District and Sessions Court, Thalassery, arising out of Crime No.340/2023 of Kannur City police station filed this Crl.M.C. under Section 528 of BNSS, praying for quashing all further proceedings against him on the ground that the entire disputes between himself and the defacto complainant has already been settled. Along with the Crl.M.C., the petitioner has also produced an affidavit sworn to by the victim to the effect that the matter has been settled between them.

2. The offences alleged against the petitioner are under Sections 363 , 376(3), 354A(1)(i) of IPC and Sections 3A , 4, 7 and 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act . Since the offences alleged against the petitioner includes 376 and & 4 of the PoCSO Act, even though the dispute has been settled between the parties, the same cannot be quashed as it is a serious and heinous of offence.

3. At this stage, the learned counsel for the petitioner prayed for giving a direction to the learned Sessions Judge to dispose of this case in a time bound manner.

4. After hearing the learned Public Prosecutor as well as the learned counsel for the petitioner, I deem it appropriate to dispose of this Crl.M.C. with a direction to the learned Sessions Judge, Thalassery to dispose of this case at the earliest at any rate within a period six months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.

Sd/-

C. PRATHEEP KUMAR, JUDGE