Settlement between parties can quash proceedings for non-compoundable offenses if it serves the ends of justice.

ORDER

This Criminal Original Petition has been filed to quash the proceedings in Spl.S.C. No.126 of 2024 on the file of the learned Sessions Judge, Special Court for POCSO Act , Madurai.

2. The case of the prosecution is that the petitioner had married the third respondent/victim girl, had physical relationship with her. On 20.09.2022, the victim had given birth to a boy child.. Hence the case has been registered based on the complaint given by the second respondent, who is the Development Officer.

3. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner as well as the learned counsel appearing for the second and third respondents submitted that now, the petitioner and the third respondent/victim have settled the dispute between themselves amicably and the third respondent is not willing to proceed further with the criminal case.

4. Today, when the matter was taken up for hearing a joint Memo of Compromise filed before this Court signed by the petitioner and the third respondent and their respective counsels. The petitioner and the third respondent present before this Court, identified by Ms.M.Kavitha, SI, T.Kallupatti Police Station, Madurai as well as by the learned counsels appearing for the parties. This Court enquired both the parties, satisfied that the parties have come to an amicable settlement between themselves on their own voluntarily without any compulsion.

5. The third respondent had stated that both the petitioner and the third respondent got married and they are living happily as husband and wife and she had intended to withdraw the complaint against the petitioner. She has also filed filed an affidavit in this regard. 6. The case has been registered for offences under Section under Sections 9 of Child Marriage Act and Section 5(1), 5(j) (ii), 6 of POCSO Act . It is settled law that the High Court has inherent power under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to quash the criminal proceedings even for the offences which are not compoundable under Section 320 of the , where the parties have settled their dispute between themselves. However, while quashing the criminal proceedings, based on the settlement arrived at between the parties, the High Court should act with caution and the power should be exercised sparingly only in order to secure the ends of justice and also to prevent abuse of process of any Court.

7. Further, the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of K.Dhandapani Vs. The State by the Inspector of Police reported in 2022 SCC Online SC 1056, has held as follows:

“In the peculiar facts and circumstances of this case, we are of the considered view that the conviction and sentence of the appellant who is maternal uncle of the prosecutrix deserves to be set aside in view of the subsequent events that have been brought to the notice of this Court. This Court cannot shut its eyes to the ground reality and disturb the happy family life of the appellant and the prosecutrix. We have been informed about the custom in Tamilnadu of the marriage of a girl with the maternal uncle”.

8. The legal position expressed by the Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of Gian Singh vs. State of Punjab and another reported in (2012) 10 SCC 303 and Parbatbhai Aahir @ Parbatbhai Vs. State of Gujarat ) reported in (2017) 9 SCC 641 were taken into consideration.

9. Keeping the above principles in mind, let us now consider the instant case as to whether it is a fit case to quash the criminal proceedings based on the settlement arrived at between the parties.

10. In the case at hand, though the petitioner is charged with for the offences punishable under Sections 9 of Child Marriage Act and Section 5(1), 5(j) (ii), 6 of POCSO Act , now, the pe