Himachal Pradesh High Court
Ravi Goyal And Another vs State Of Himachal Pradesh & Others on 24 September, 2019
Author: Vivek Singh Thakur
Bench: Vivek Singh Thakur
IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA
Cr.MMO No.41 of 2019
Date of decision: 24.09.2019
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Ravi Goyal and another ...Petitioners.
Versus
State of Himachal Pradesh & others ...Respondents
Coram
The Hon'ble Mr. Justice Vivek Singh Thakur, Judge.
Whether approved for reporting?1
For the Petitioners: Mr.P.P. Chauhan, Advocate.
Petitioners Ravi Goyal and Vinita Phutela Goel
r are present in person.
For the Respondents: Mr.S.C. Sharma Additional Advocate General.
Vivek Singh Thakur, Judge (oral)
The instant petition, under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (herein after referred to as 'Cr.PC') has been filed by petitioners, for quashing FIR No. 205, dated 31.7.2018 registered at P.S. Pinjore, District Panchkula, Haryana, which was transferred to Women Police Station, Baddi, where it was converted into case FIR No. 28 of 2018 dated 1.8.2018, under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (herein after referred to as 'IPC') and criminal proceedings initiated in pursuance thereto.
2. Today petitioner No.1 Ravi Goyal and petitioner No.2 Smt. Vinita Phutela Goyal, present in person, have been identified by Mr. P.P. Chauhan, Advocate and their statements have been recorded on oath.
3. Petitioner No.1 in his statement deposed that his father has expired and he is living with his mother and unmarried sister, whereas his 1 Whether the reporters of the local papers may be allowed to see the Judgment? Yes ::: Downloaded on - 27/09/2019 20:25:07 :::HCHP 2 another sister has been married and he is only son of his parents. He has stated that he is serving in Pharmaceutical Company i.e. Legency Remedies Pvt. Ltd and petitioner No. 2 is also serving in Pharmaceutical Company i.e. .
Scott-Edil Pharmacia Baddi. He has further stated that in March, 2018 he and Vinita were deputed by their respective companies to attend a meeting at Chandigarh related to audit of companies and during that meeting, they had introduction with each other and thereafter, they kept on meeting and intimacy developed between them and finally they decided to marry each other and thereafter they had also developed physical relations, but, later on in July, 2018 his mother had refused to accept their relations and marriage and the said fact was communicated by him to Vinita, which created misunderstanding that he is not inclined to marry her and resulted in lodging of FIR No. 205 dated 31.7.2018 in P.S. Pinjore, District Panchkula (Haryana) which was transferred to Women Police Station, Baddi, where it was converted into case FIR No. 28 of 2018 dated 1.8.2018 under Section 376 IPC. He has also stated that after registration of FIR, he again met petitioner No.2 Vinita and clarified the situation that it was his mother who was not ready to accept the relations, but it did not mean that he was not keen to keep his promise to marry petitioner No.2, but at that time, investigation was in progress and by the time, he and petitioner No.2 married each other on 12th October, 2018 in Shiv Mandir, Parsuram Bhawan, Lower Karari, Kalka and challan had been presented in Court on completion of investigation. It is also stated by petitioner No.1 that he has married petitioner No.2 with his free will, consent and without any pressure, coercion or threat as it was his own decision to marry her and he never intended to ::: Downloaded on - 27/09/2019 20:25:07 :::HCHP 3 violate her person with criminal intent or to cheat her but in good faith with commitment to marry her and now, after solemnization of marriage on 12th October, 2018, they are residing under one and same roof along with his .
mother and one unmarried sister and his second sister, who is married, has also accepted their marriage and he is keen and duty bound and also intend to maintain petitioner No.2 and keep her happy and to provide her all amenities of life and further clarified that now misunderstanding between them stands removed and petitioner No.2, who is his wife, has no complaint against him and on this she also does not want to continue with criminal proceedings pending against him before the trial Court on the basis of FIR lodged by her. He has also stated that he has deposed in Court out of his free will and consent and also without any fear, threat, pressure or coercion.
4. Petitioner No. 2 Vinita Phutela Goyal in her statement, has deposed that she is also serving in Pharmaceutical Company i.e. Scott-Edil Pharmacia Baddi and petitioner No.1 Ravi Goyal is her husband. She has endorsed the statement of petitioner No. 1 to be true and correct. She has stated that in July 2018, after developing intimate relations with her, when Ravi Goyal (petitioner No.1) had intimated her that their relations are not acceptable to his mother and she was not agreeing for their marriage, she gathered the impression that Ravi Goyal is not keen to keep his words and was trying to deceit her, whereupon, she had immediately lodged the FIR, as referred in statement of petitioner No.1. She has further stated that later on, petitioner No.1 not only assured her that he was ready and willing to marry her, but has also solemnized marriage on 12 th October, 2018 after getting the consent of his mother and now, after marriage, she is residing ::: Downloaded on - 27/09/2019 20:25:07 :::HCHP 4 with petitioner No.1 as his wife along with his mother and unmarried sister and therefore, she feels that her impression that he is cheating her, was wrong and further stated that continuation of criminal proceedings will .
definitely create an awkward situation for her when she would be deposing against her husband, which would definitely have adverse impact on their matrimonial life and continuation of criminal proceedings will not only harm petitioner No.1 but also her life and in these aforesaid circumstances, she is praying for compounding of case and closing the criminal proceedings after quashing FIR and also stated that she is interested for quashing of FIR and criminal proceedings pending against her husband for betterment of her life as well as welfare of her husband and her in-laws. She has also stated that she has deposed in this Court out of her free will, consent and without any external pressure, coercion or threat of any kind.
5. Considering peculiar facts and circumstances of present case, petition has been opposed on behalf of respondent No. 1-State on the ground that it is not maintainable as in investigation a case under Section 376 IPC is made out and on the basis of challan presented in Court trial is pending consideration of Court. It is also contended on behalf of respondent/State that petitioner No.1 is not entitled to invoke inherent jurisdiction of this Court to exercise its power, keeping in view the nature of crime, for quashing of FIR with respect to an offence heinous in nature and not compoundable under Section 320 Cr.P.C.
6 It is a case of peculiar nature where complainant/petitioner No.2 and accused/petitioner No.1 are now residing under one and same roof as husband and wife. In fact it appears from their statements, recorded ::: Downloaded on - 27/09/2019 20:25:07 :::HCHP 5 on oath, that petitioner No.1, without taking into confidence his mother, had developed intimacy with petitioner No.2 with intention to marry her, which has led to physical relations with each other, however, thereafter, on .
consultation, mother of petitioner No.1 had refused to accept this relation which was communicated by petitioner No.1 to petitioner No.2 whereupon, and rightly so, petitioner No.2 had gathered impression that petitioner No.1 was not inclined to marry her and had developed physical relations with her in deceitful manner and had cheated her and, consequently, it had resulted into registration of FIR against petitioner No.1. However, thereafter, on removal of misunderstanding and acceptance of relations by mother of petitioner No.1, they (petitioners No. 1 and 2) have solemnized marriage on 12th October, 2018 in Shiv Mandir, Parsuram Bhawan, Lower Karari, Kalka in accordance with Hindu rites and rituals and now petitioner No.2 is residing with in-laws along with her husband/petitioner No.1 and has prayed for quashing of FIR and criminal proceedings pending against her husband for betterment of her life as well as welfare of her husband and in-laws.
7. It is apt to record herein that a three Judges Bench of the Apex Court in Gian Singh Vs. State of Punjab and Others reported in (2012) 10 SCC 303, explaining that High Court has inherent power under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure with no statutory limitation including Section 320 Cr.P.C., has held that these powers are to be exercised to secure the ends of justice or to prevent abuse of process of any Court and these powers can be exercised to quash criminal proceedings or complaint or FIR in appropriate cases where offender and victim have settled their dispute and for that purpose no definite category of offence can be ::: Downloaded on - 27/09/2019 20:25:07 :::HCHP 6 prescribed. However, it is also observed that Courts must have due regard to nature and gravity of the crime and criminal proceedings in heinous and serious offences or offence like murder, rape and dacoity etc. should not be .
quashed despite victim or victim family have settled the dispute with offender. Jurisdiction vested in High Court under Section 482 Cr.P.C. is held to be exercisable for quashing criminal proceedings in cases having overwhelming and predominatingly civil flavour particularly offences arising from commercial, financial, mercantile, civil partnership, or such like transactions, or even offences arising out of matrimony relating to dowry etc., family disputes or other such disputes where wrong is basically private or personal nature where parties mutually resolve their dispute amicably. It was also held that no category or cases for this purpose could be prescribed and each case has to be dealt with on its own merit but it is also clarified that this power does not extend to crimes against society. 9 The Apex Court in Parbatbhai Aahir alias Parbathbhai Bhimsinghbhai Karmur and others vs. State of Gujarat and another, (2017)9 SCC 641 summarizing the broad principles regarding inherent powers of the High Court under Section 482 Cr.P.C. has recognized that these powers are not inhibited by provisions of Section 320 Cr.P.C.
10. The Apex Court in case Narinder Singh and Ors. Vs. State of Punjab and Others reported in (2014) 6 SCC 466 and also in State of Madhya Pradesh Vs. Laxmi Narayan and Others (2019) 5 SCC 688 has summed up and laid down principles, by which the High Court would be guided in giving adequate treatment to the settlement between the parties and exercise its power under Section 482 of the Code while accepting the ::: Downloaded on - 27/09/2019 20:25:07 :::HCHP 7 settlement and quashing the proceedings or refusing to accept the settlement with direction to continue with criminal proceedings.
11. No doubt Section 376 IPC is not compoundable under Section .
320 Cr. P.C. However, as explained by Hon'ble Supreme Court in Gian Singh's and Narinder Singh's cases supra, power of High Court under Section 482 Cr.PC is not inhibited by the provisions of Section 320 Cr.P.C. and FIR as well as criminal proceedings can be quashed by exercising inherent powers under Section 482 Cr.PC, if it is warranted in given facts and circumstances of the case for ends of justice or to prevent abuse of the process of any Court, even in those cases which are not compoundable where parties have settled the matter between themselves.
12. In present case, petitioner No.2/complainant also appeared in person in this Court and her statement, as discussed in para 4 supra, has also been recorded in this Court, wherein she has expressed her desire to close the proceedings against the petitioner.
13. It is true that as a matter of principle, quashing of FIR on the basis of compromise should not be permitted in case of heinous crime like Section 376 IPC for the reason that said crime is against the society having adverse impact on it and also that possibility of compromise under any kind of pressure, threat or coercion cannot be ruled out in such cases as victims normally belong to the weaker class. But in given facts and circumstances of the present case, where offence of rape is made out because of the fact that a young girl, apprehending cheating has lodged FIR and now again residing in her matrimonial house with petitioner-accused, it cannot be compared with other cases.
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14. Observation of the Coordinate Bench of this Court in similar case decided on 12.01.2017 in Cr.MMO No. 385 of 2016, titled as Chander Vir Kaundal vs. State of H.P., would also be relevant, where it is recorded .
that looking at the case from another angle, since the petitioner has solemnized marriage with respondent, obviously, there is no possibility of her supporting the charge in case the petitioner is put to trial. Therefore, in such circumstances, the continuation of criminal proceedings would only cause untoward torture or harassment apart from creating undue social and psychological pressure upon the private parties and it will be an extremely sad story in case complainant is called in the witness box to depose against the accused, who is none other than her husband.
15. In present case also, deposition of victim in the Court in consonance with prosecution case would lead to landing her husband in jail and pushing her in pitch dark whereas retracting from her earlier version may put her in unnecessary trouble.
16. Learned counsel for the accused-petitioner has also referred to judgments passed by the Coordinate Benches in Cr.MMO No. 301 of 2018, decided on 24.04.2019, titled as Asha Devi & others vs. State of Himachal Pradesh & another; Cr.MMO No. 399 of 2018, decided on 18.09.2018, titled as Kajal & another vs. State of Himachal Pradesh & another; and Cr.MMO No. 244 of 2019, decided on 07.05.2019 titled as X vs. State of H.P. & others and Criminal Miscellaneous (Main) No. 139 of 2018, decided on 26.5.2018, titled Sahil Chaudhary vs. State of H.P. and another wherein FIRs registered under Section 376 IPC read with provisions of POCSO Act ::: Downloaded on - 27/09/2019 20:25:07 :::HCHP 9 have been quashed in similar circumstances where victims and accused had married to each other.
17. The ratio of law laid down by the Apex Court on the issue of .
permitting the compromise and quashing of FIR in all cases, the Courts must consider the interest of public at large and the offence offending the Society at large should not be permitted to be compromised and quashing of FIR or criminal proceedings on the basis of such compromise should not be permitted. Present case is somewhat different from general category, as in present case, it is not on the basis of compromise that quashing of FIR has been sought for, but it is a case where interest of victim is also involved and welfare of victim appears to be in closing criminal proceedings as she has proclaimed herself to be wife of accused and the case is registered against petitioner-accused, only for the reason that at that time victim apprehended cheating and further, it is not a case where it can be said that victim was abducted forcefully and ravished mercilessly and was used as an instrument of enjoyment and thrown out after the use but it is a case where sexual intercourse was consensual and now victim is living in her matrimonial house happily. Now in the facts and circumstances of the case, this case cannot be termed as a case subjecting the victim-complainant forcibly to illicit sexual intercourse. Further, it is a peculiar kind of case where there is a conflict between interest of victim and societal interest. Interest of victim is not purely private in nature as rehabilitation and survival of victim is another issue which involves public interest because to ensure rehabilitation and provide resources for survival of victim is also responsibility of society. ::: Downloaded on - 27/09/2019 20:25:07 :::HCHP 1 Considering entire facts and circumstances of the case, in my opinion, balance lies in favour of the prayer of the victim.
18 Family is a primary unit of society, which gives protection to all .
family members. Therefore, there is always endeavour to save the family. By saving a family, we definitely save the fabric of society and thus any endeavour to save the family is also interest of society. Therefore, in present case, there is conflict of interest not only between victim and societal interest but also amongst divergent societal interest i.e. to continue proceedings for commission of an offence having adverse impact on the society and to save the family in larger interest of society.
19. In Madan Mohan Abbot vs. State of Punjab, (2008)4 SCC 582 the Hon'ble Supreme Court emphasized and advised that in the matter of compromise in criminal proceedings, keeping in view of nature of this case, to save the time of the Court for utilizing to decide more effective and meaningful litigation, a commonsense approach, based on ground realities and bereft of the technicalities of law, should be applied.
20. Therefore, in peculiar facts and circumstances of the present case, I am of the considered opinion that interest of justice shall be served in quashing the FIR as well as criminal proceedings pending against petitioner- accused.
21. Keeping in view the ratio of law laid down by the Hon'ble Apex Court and considering peculiar facts and circumstances of the case in its entirety, present petition is allowed and matter is permitted to be compounded. Consequently, FIR No. 205 of 2018, dated 31.7.2018 registered at P.S. Pinjore, District Panchkula, Haryana, which was ::: Downloaded on - 27/09/2019 20:25:07 :::HCHP 1 transferred to Women P.S. Baddi, where it was converted into case FIR No. 28 of 2018 dated 1.8.2018 is quashed. Consequent to quashing of FIR, criminal proceedings, pending in the concerned Court also stand quashed.
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22. Petition stands disposed of in the aforesaid terms, so also pending applications, if any.
(Vivek Singh Thakur), th 24 September, 2019 Judge.
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