Amicable resolution with no public interest necessitates quashing of proceedings under the POCSO Act.

O R D E R

(Dated this the 23rd day of February, 2026)

The petitioner is the accused in S.C.No. 590 of 2025 on the file of the Addl.District Court, Thalassery arising out of crime No. 567 of 2025 of Valappatanam Police Station. The offences alleged against him are under Sections 7 and 8 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (PoCSO Act, in short).

2. The prosecution case is that on 22.06.2025, when the defacto complainant who was a 16 year old boy was traveling in a bus, the accused who was a co-passenger touched the private part of the child using his elbow.

3. According to the petitioner, this is a false case foisted against him and also that he is innocent. Further according to him, the dispute has been settled with the defacto complainant and that he agreed to drop all further proceedings relating to the above dispute. Therefore, the petitioner prayed for quashing all further proceedings against him. The victim also filed an affidavit endorsing the averments in the petition and praying for quashing the proceedings against the petitioner.

4. Heard the learned Counsel for the petitioner and the learned Public Prosecutor.

5. Learned Public Prosecutor also submitted, after getting instruction, that the dispute has been amicably settled between the parties and that the victim is not interested in continuing the prosecution against the petitioners. It is also submitted that there is no serious criminal antecedents against the petitioner.

6. Even though the offence alleged against the petitioner includes one under the POCSO Act, the gravity of the offence alleged against the petitioner is less serious in nature. Considering the fact that the offences involved in this case are less serious in nature, and only a private dispute and the dispute has been amicably settled between the parties and the defacto complainant and the victim are not at all interested in continuing the prosecution, there is no purpose to be fulfilled by the continuance of the prosecution in this case. Moreover, quashment of further proceedings is necessary for maintaining harmonious relationship between the parties and also to prevent abuse of process of the court.

7. In the result, this petition is allowed. The proceedings against the petitioner/accused in S.C. 590 of 2025 on the file of the Addl.District Court, Thalassery in Crime No.567 of 2025 of Valappatanam Police Station is hereby quashed.

Sd/-